The last couple of years have been rich in transition for mobility, particularly for the Indian two-wheeler industry. Electric Vehicles, especially scooters, have received much attention by automobile manufacturers and consumers alike. The electric two-wheeler segment registered a 210% increase in sales in FY 2022-23 as compared to FY 2021-22. Ola Electric & Hero Electric were the top two players in the segment.
Many two-wheeler companies are planning to launch new electric scooters in 2024, offering a variety of features, designs and battery options. Here, EVJoints brings you India’s 5 most anticipated electric scooters of 2024.
Honda Activa Electric
Honda, the manufacturer of India’s most popular scooter Activa, will be launching its electric variant in the first half of 2024.
The Activa Electric is without a doubt the most anticipated electric scooter in India.
Auto gurus say its launch can push electric scooter sales to another level.
Apart from the electric scooter, Honda is also ready with another offering, the Honda Power Pack Exchanger. The company is setting-up its battery swapping business in India and will follow a city-by-city approach to install 6000 battery swapping stations to serve both electric two & three-wheelers. These ‘e-swap’ stations will come up at Honda dealerships & service centres, as well as near metro stations & petrol pumps.
With these concurrent launches, it is expected that the Honda Activa Electric might feature removable batteries.
Unnamed Ather Electric Scooter
Ather is working on a new ‘family electric scooter’. A test mule of the same was recently spotted on Bengaluru roads and it appeared considerably larger in size than the company’s 450 series. Tarun Mehta, CEO of Ather Energy, tweeted about a family electric scooter that is ‘designed with your entire family in mind, offering comfort, ample size and a whole lot more’.
The company is expected to go for a wider seat, increased storage space, integrated foot rests and a flat floorboard. The new scooter will hit the markets in the first half of 2024 and will primarily compete with the TVS iQube (courtesy it being larger in size than its contemporaries.)
Bajaj Sunny Electric
After Chetak, Bajaj Auto is ready to resurrect another old brand. A camouflaged test mule was spotted on Pune roads, and it was later revealed that the company is bringing the old Sunny scooter back, this time in an electric avatar.
In the 90s, the Bajaj Sunny was introduced as a light 60cc, two-stroke scooter. The test mule which was spotted suggests that the company will be keeping the original Sunny design. It will be a totally different build in comparison to the bigger Chetak Electric.
It is most likely being jointly developed with Yulu, a ride-sharing startup in which Bajaj has a stake. The new Sunny Electric may come with a removable battery.
It will be interesting to see how successfully Bajaj is able to strike a nostalgic note with the new Sunny. The light electric scooter will be Bajaj’s first to be priced below Rs 1 lakh.
LML Star
Talking about nostalgia, LML is also ready to make its comeback with its first electric scooter the Star.
The scooter will come with a 4 kWh detachable battery which offers a range of 120 km. The expected top speed is 85 km/hr.
The LML Star Electric is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2024. Expected price is Rs 1.30 lakh.
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The company has already started appointing dealers across the country for its upcoming electric range starting with the Star EV. In the first phase, LML is looking to open 50 dealerships.
Suzuki Burgman Electric
Suzuki is ready to bring the Burgman Electric to India in 2024. The automaker currently sells the 125 cc petrol Burgman Street scooter in the country.
The electric variant will feature the same design as the petrol one, however consumers may see some blue accents which point towards the EV’s all-electric character.
As far as features are concerned, the electric scooter will feature swappable batteries. Suzuki will tie-up with Honda Power Pack battery swapping service. The e-Burgman will be India’s heaviest electric scooter when launched.
The scooter has been spotted testing in India already and the launch is expected to take place sometime during the first half of 2024.
Special Mention:
Bajaj Chetak Urbane
A new model of the Bajaj Chetak Electric, called the 2024 Chetak Urbane is also ready to make waves in the new year. Surprisingly, it has already been listed on the Chetak website.
The retro appeal of the Chetak stays intact and the e-scooter hosts a 2.9 kWh battery which gives a claimed range of 113 km. The top speed is 73 km/hr and the claimed charging time is 4 hours 50 minutes.
The scooter features a bright LCD display, a reverse mode and hill hold assist.
People can book the 2024 Chetak Urbane on the company website. It is available in 4 attractive colours:
Prices for the 2024 Chetak Urbane start from Rs 1.15 lakh.
Also, it is expected that this model of the Chetak will be sold in Europe as well.
Conclusion:
As we draw near to say goodbye to 2023 and welcome the new year, electric two-wheelers, especially scooters, are expected to build a lot of steam in the Indian EV market. The upcoming year will be vital to witness how electric scooters are integrated into urban transport networks for the long term future.
