Hero MotoCorp announce in its annual report that it will be bringing Zero Motorcycles’ portfolio of electric motorcycles to India and that the California-based EV maker will also be manufacturing the motorcycles in India.
Hero MotoCorp also said that this partnership will allow the bikemaker to gain Zero’s expertise in developing electric motorcycles and combine that with its own manufacturing and distribution capabilities.
In 2022, Hero MotoCorp announce the partnership with an equity investment of up to USD 60 million in Zero Motorcycles.
The Indian bikemaker also announce then that it’ll be focusing on co-developing electric motorcycles like they did with the Harley-Davidson X440.
As of now, Zero Motorcycles’s portfolio consists of different types of motorcycles from a fully sports tourer and street naked bikes to an ADV and scramblers.
The Ultraviolette F77 is the only performance-oriented electric motorcycle with the highest range in India.
As the 10.3kWh capacity battery in the F77 is also the biggest one among all EVs in India.
Hero MotoCorp Invests $60 Million in Zero Motorcycles, will Launch Electric Two-wheelers In India
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Zero’s portfolio consists of motorcycles with battery capacities of up to 17.3kWh.
So motorcycles with such big capacity batteries will command a hefty price tag compare to that of the Ultraviolette in India, which will in turn make it difficult for them to compete in a price-sensitive market like India.
So, Hero MotoCorp and Zero Motorcycles might be looking into co-developing a motorcycle based on an existing Zero EV like the SR.
This EV gets a 15.6kWh capacity battery with a claim city range of 272km and a motor with peak power figures of 74PS and 166Nm and a 167kmph top speed.
Hero MotoCorp might also develop its own range of electric motorcycles based on the expertise drawn from this partnership.
Partnerships and the Indian two-wheeler industry seem to have become synonymous with each other in the recent months with the Hero-Harley-Davidson and Triumph-Bajaj partnerships being the biggest highlights.
It has result in big bikes with very good build quality being affordable in India.
This partnership with Hero MotoCorp and Zero Motorcycles might have the same impact in the electric segment.
