set to heat up, as one of the major multinational automobile manufacturer is looking to launch an electric scooter over the next financial year.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), the second largest two-wheeler maker in the South Asian nation, will take on Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor and its former partner Hero MotoCorp, in the highly lucrative EV market for two-wheelers, with its BENLY e, according to The Economic Times. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the newspaper revealed that the company is the process of testing the electric scooter, developed by Japanese parent Honda Motor, and unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show a couple of years ago.
Nevertheless, there is doubt regarding if it is the BENLY e that will be launched in India or if HMSI intends to launch a new EV in the country, since Honda Motor has already announced plans to launch three new EVs globally by 2024. So far, the company has declined to provide further details on the product planned for the Indian market, with HMSI president Atsushi Ogata saying consumers will be able to see “an actual HMSI EV product within the next financial year”.
According to Ogata, who is also the company’s chief executive, the automaker is also considering the possibility of exporting the vehicle from the South Asian nation to other markets, with the aim of expanding volumes following the launch. “Why not utilise Indian local manufacturers? ‘Make in India’ is a key point for HMSI. We are a global player so why not have a global strategy from the beginning? If we were considering only the Indian market, we could produce this year,” he told ET in an interview.
