• Hero Electric Optima ER and Nyx ER are now eligible for FAME II benefits
• Hero Electric recently inaugurated its new corporate office in Bangalore to strengthen its network and presence in the southern part of the country
• Hero Electric to have over 1000 touchpoints by 2020
• Hero electric has aggressive plans to expand its product portfolio for B2B sector
• New Delhi, 19 August 2019: Biggest electric vehicle brand in India, Hero Electric, today officially launched its two new e-scooters; Optima ER and Nyx ER further expanding its range of heavy duty and high-speed e-scooters in India. The Optima ER and Nyx ER are now available across all Hero Electric dealerships for INR 68,721 and INR 69,754 respectively.

Commenting at the occasion Mr. Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric India said, “We want to offer the best of Hero Electric products to all our customers. One feedback that we have constantly received was the range anxiety associated with e-scooters, and with the Nyx ER and Optima ER we are addressing that issue and offering a package that is high on performance and usability. I am confident that customers will appreciate these additions alongside the FAME II benefits that have made our range even more affordable.”

The company further announced the inauguration of its new corporate office in Bangalore as part of its expansion plan in southern India to diversify its operations and strategically plan the new consumer touchpoints in the country. Hero Electric plans to take the 615 touchpoints presently to 1000 by end of 2020 and make the brand accessible even in the most interior parts of the country. The company has extensive investment plans in the next three years to ramp up production capacity of its electric scooters to 5 lakh units annually.

With the launch of Nyx ER, the company has extensive plans to introduce heavy duty products catering to myriad requirements of the B2B sector thereby expanding its offerings for the commercial segment. Hero electric products are best suited for commercial usage as they require lesser investment and have zero carbon emissions.

As the largest maker of electric vehicles in India, Hero Electric is in sync with the government’s vision to promote and foster the adoption of electric mobility in India and will invest in R&D to introduce technologically advanced products that India needs in order to make the switch from ICE vehicles. Going forward, all high-speed products from Hero Electric will also be eligible for FAME II benefits and coupled with the lowered GST rates, will make Hero Electric products more attractive and affordable for the customers.

Hero Electric scooters are the perfect match for people who are two-wheeler aspirants and want to switch to clean mobility, with options ranging from lightweight to high-speed performance scooters, so both the first-time buyers and enthusiasts have a variety of scooters to choose from. The e-scooters from the company are gender agnostic with designs that can blend into anyone’s lifestyle and offer last-mile connectivity at minimal cost and zero emissions. Hero Electric will continue to innovate in this space and lead the electric mobility in the country.

Korean automobile major Hyundai Motor is developing an electric vehicle for the mass market and will launch it in a couple of year’s time, said a top company official.

“Hyundai Motor is transforming into a mobility solutions provider from and automobile company,” S.S. Kim, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd told reporters here late on Wednesday.

“The group is developing an electric vehicle platform for mass market in India. We develop cars for all and not just for ride hailing cab operator Ola where Hyundai has invested $300 million,” Kim said.

When queried as to the leverage Hyundai Motor has with its investment like Ola asking its driver partners to go for Hyundai Motor models, Kim said it is an important investment for the group. In March, Hyundia Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors announced an investment of Rs 2,068 crore ($300 million) in Ola.

As per the agreement, the three companies will collaborate on building India-specific electric vehicles and infrastructure and developing unique fleet and mobility solutions, Hyundai Motor had then said.

The partnership will offer Ola drivers various financial services, including lease and instalment payments, while vehicle maintenance and repair services are expected to enhance customer satisfaction, Hyundai Motor had said.

Hyundai, Kia and Ola also agreed to coordinate efforts to develop cars and specifications that reflect the needs of the ride hailing market. According to Kim, cost of the vehicle is an important determinant while catering for the mass market which in turn requires high level of localisation of components.

Declining to comment on the price band of the proposed electric vehicle targeted for the mass market, Kim said domestic suppliers are not geared up for the segment as the volumes are low.

Speaking about the company’s electric sports utility vehicle KONA, he said the vehicle is for niche market. On the company’s plans for hybrid vehicles, Kim said Hyundai Motor has the technology but the Indian government is not supportive of hybrid models so there is no incentive for the company.

Out of 100, two charging stations have already been installed in Noida in sector 63 and at gate number 2 of Noida Electronic City metro station, and will be in operation within a week

In a bid to encourage the use of electric vehicles by promoting robust EV infrastructure, Noida Authority, has decided to set up EV charging stations in the city. For the same, the Noida Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with EESL, a joint venture of PSUs of the power ministry, on Thursday (July 25). As part of the agreement, EESL will be installing 100 public charging stations across Noida.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Alok Tandon, Chairman, Noida Authority said,

We are constantly striving to make Noida cleaner, greener and more sustainable. Establishing a public charging infrastructure in the city will greatly augment these efforts and will spur EV adoption in the city. With this partnership with EESL, we envisage the eMobility movement to gain traction in the city.

As per the pact, while Noida Authority will ensure availability of space at parking lots and help in providing requisite power for the charging infrastructure, EESL will make the investment in installation, operation and maintenance of EV charging stations for 10 years.

Two charging stations have already been installed in Noida in sector 63 and at gate number 2 of Noida Electronic City metro station. Both the chargers will be in operation within a week. Giving out the details of the implementation of the project to NDTV, N Mohan, Deputy General Manager, Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure at EESL said,

First we will be conducting a location assessment study involving all parking stations in Noida. The research aims at understanding the accessibility to parking lots, footfall of vehicles, and other things. Within four to five weeks the study will be completed and based on that we will decide whether to install slow chargers or fast chargers.

As per the current plan, EESL will have a mix of alternate current chargers and direct current chargers which will cater to two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers. All the 100 charging stations will be made available for use in the next six months.

A full charge in these vehicles would cost Rs. 170, enabling them to run for 120 km. This is much cheaper than fossil fuels and CNG. Now, new EVs are also being introduced which have a run limit of over 400 km on a single full charge, Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director for EESL told PTI.

As per a press release shared by the officials, sharing the benefits of having EV charging stations in the city, Ritu Maheshwari, CEO at Noida Authority said,

Installation of public charging stations will reduce the range anxiety among Noida residents and accelerate the adoption of EVs in the area. A robust public charging infrastructure complements the legislative efforts in creating a sustainable EV ecosystem. With the increasing penetration of EVs, the local emission of pollutants is also expected to reduce, leading to cleaner air and several public health benefits.

Along with this, the Noida Authority will be acquiring five electric vehicles from EESL on a lease. The electric cars will be allotted to officers and will be used for office work.

Hyderabad-based startup Cellestial E-Mobility, on Tuesday, said that it has raised $200,000 in its first round of investment from angel investor Meka Sudhakar Reddy, who is based out of Singapore and has over 18-years of expertise in the logistics space.Hyderabad-based startup Cellestial E-Mobility, on Tuesday, said that it has raised $200,000 in its first round of investment from angel investor Meka Sudhakar Reddy, who is based out of Singapore and has over 18-years of expertise in the logistics space.

According to the company’s sources, the funds came through in the first week of June.
Founded this May, the startup claims it is in advance stage of developing electric tractors. It also claims that its tractors will have the longest battery life in the market.

He also mentioned that the vehicle is a zero-emission ecological tractor, suitable for horticultural or greenhouse work, or for moving good within factories and haul luggage in airports. According to a press release, the company has the capacity to build 100 e-mobility heavy vehicles and can build more as the demand increases.

Team Cellestial also includes Syed Mubasheer Ali, who has 16-years of expertise in battery manufacturing; Vinod Moudgil, an expert in Tractor Manufacturing; and Midhun Kumar, who has over 15 years of casting, machining, and fabrication expertise.

During this year’s Budget, the Cabinet addressed the emobility targets for a greener India, which emphasised on the sale of only electric vehicles by the year 2030. This would go a long way in addressing India’s clean fuel ideology and reduce high pollution levels.

Earlier this week, EV startup SmartE has raised Rs 100 crore as a part of its Series B round of funding from Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co. With this recently raised funds, the company is looking to rapidly increase its fleet size within Delhi-NCR as well as other key cities around the country. It will also use the funds to significantly ramp up its charging infrastructure network to offer both plug-in vehicle charging as well as battery swapping solutions.