The Hindu Business Line : BSA Motors to launch 3 e-scooter models next year

Bangalore, Sept. 11 Riding the crest of rapid growth of electrics scooters, BSA Motors, a strategic business unit of the Rs 10,000-crore Murugappa Group, will be driving into the market next with three models powered by 250, 500 and 800 watts to carve its place in the Rs 450-crore market.

The electric scooters market is growing at 40 per cent, with leading automotive companies vying to garner a big market in the eco-friendly two-wheeler market. Initially the company will introduce the vehicles in the four southern States and Goa. The vehicles would be launched in the North next year.

The company plans to make 100 units a day in its Ambattur plant near Chennai and will be doubling the capacity next year to reach a sales target of 60,000 vehicles in the first 12 months after its launch in October.

R&D emphasis

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday on the launch of its eScooters, Mr K.B. Srinivasan, General Manager of BSA Motors, a division of Tube Investments of India Ltd, said the company has invested Rs 20 crore for designing and testing the vehicles with an emphasis on research and development that will strive to develop an indigenous electric motor, the key component of the scooter.

The company now sources most of the key parts such as motor, controller, battery, lamps, wheel discs, tyres and tubes from overseas vendors such as Korea and Taiwan.

He said the R&D cell was working on the motor and other parts that would considerably increase the indigenous contents in the vehicle to reduce the overall cost.

Market plans

The company proposes to market its vehicles at Rs 27,000 to Rs 36,000 in different motor wattage capacity.

BSA Motors would be setting up 70 dealership networks in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala by the end of March.

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