As India pursues a goal to drastically reduce greenhouse gases through efforts like a shift to zero carbon emission vehicles that also lead to the elimination of dependence on imported fuels, even imported battery cells, the first impact report of Taiwan-based Gogoro is out. It outlines some very interesting and important factors on battery electric two-wheelers and battery swapping technology, stopping short of how green electricity could be harness over a grey source to ensure a greener well to wheel journey. 

Highlighting Gogoro's progress in sustainability and ESG, the first impact report categorically outlines how its swapping and smart scooters have been successful in enabling a transformation to sustainable urban transportation. The company's Founder and CEO Horace Luke mentions that ten years ago few were contemplating the urban energy and transportation transformation necessary to address in the wake of the plight cities were facing because of air pollution and other negative effects of climate change. Our first impact report highlights this and the progress we have made in our ESG initiatives, in-turn outlining our future intentions, he adds. 

Drawing attention how the report summarises his company’s commitments and progress in four key strategic areas of cleaner planet, safety and resilience, responsible business and social impact, Luke avers that these four areas are key to our success in achieving smarter, cleaner and safer cities. 
With nearly two million customers and 400 million battery swaps to date, Gogoro has established an open 360-degree ecosystem, which is AI-powered and cloud-connected to deliver the most accessible urban energy solution. The system is constantly learning, adjusting and optimising smart batteries and swapping stations to enable a variety of smart city solutions. 

Stating how the battery swap technology and smart scooters have made a positive impact with the help of key statistical data in terms of fossil fuel consumption reduction, CO2 emissions reduction, particulate emission reduction and employment generation, the first impact report also highlights how cities in Asia and Africa, where two-wheelers are used for daily commutes, are benefitting.  With the battery swapping system paid particular attention to because it allows users to refuel their electric scooters quickly and easily, the first impact report states that the system or technology creates the potential to integrate renewable power into electricity grids through virtual power plants and demand response programmes. 

In 2022, Gogoro began purchasing renewable energy in Taiwan to further reduce the amount of scope 2 emissions caused by its manufacturing, retail operations and battery swapping service, according to the first impact report. With a long-term goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy, in 2022, it achieved 40 percent renewable energy in its factory operations and at two retail stores.

Gogoro And Hero Group
Hero MotoCorp, which began deliveries of its first Vida V1 electric scooter in select cities in India starting with Bengaluru, announced in 2021 that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Gogoro to establish a battery swapping JV that will bring the Taiwanese company's industry leading battery swapping platform to the Indian market. The Indian two-wheeler major also announced that the two companies will collaborate to build electric two-wheelers in India that are branded as Hero and powered by Gogoro network. 

Drawing attention to Gogoro's hyper-efficient battery swapping network receiving the 2020 Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year award for the Global Swappable Battery Electric Scooter Market, sources aware of the development mentioned that Hero MotoCorp would benefit from Gogoro's knowledge and experience to drive a beneficial arrangement in the electric two-wheeler market that is also being encouraged by the government. Citing that there are hurdles like an electric two-wheeler attracting 5 percent GST and a battery attracting 18 percent GST, they added that these are being followed up on and would soon hopefully be sorted. 

Encouraging battery swap with a favourable policy structure
While Gogoro may be keen to carve out a good pie of the Indian market with its intelligent battery swapping technology, India's homegrown company, Sun Mobility, may not be any less in its ability to deliver on the same front. At Auto Expo 2023, it showcased an AI enabled smart battery swapping system and smart battery packs in line with the government's encouragement to develop an efficient EV ecosystem and bring about a shift to lower the CO2 emissions that Indian cities seem to battle with. Cities like Mumbai, which have until now not figured among the top polluted cities in the world, seem to be getting there with high particulate, NOx and CO2 emissions. 

While the high amount of construction activity and a change in wind currents may be the contributing factor, the fact that the number of two-wheelers in the megacity have risen in the last one or two decades is an indication that a transition to EVs will contribute to lowering of emission levels to an extent. An ability to generate electricity needed to fuel these many numbers of electric two-wheelers would also need to come from a greener source rather than from lignite burning thermal plants that would mean a mere shift of pollution from cities to rural areas where most thermal plants are. 
 

Gogoro partnership with Maharashtra Government

The Indian State of Maharashtra announced a strategic energy partnership with Gogoro Inc. and Belrise Industries (erstwhile known as Badve Engineering Ltd) to establish an unprecedented battery-swapping infrastructure in January 2023. The two companies in association to the respective state government plan to build a smart energy infrastructure that is open and accessible and establishes battery swapping and smart battery stations as a leading source for mobility and energy storage. The deployment is also expected to accelerate job growth throughout the smart energy, electric vehicle and sustainability value chain. It is expected to foster smart electric vehicle manufacturing and assembly too.  

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Two-wheeler industry veteran Roy Kurian has joined Revolt Motors as President. This marks the second innings for Kurian at Revolt Motors; he had previously held a brief stint in January 2023, before joining Montra Electric as its Chief Executive Officer.

Kurian is a seasoned C-suite executive known for his deep expertise in the automotive and mobility sectors, specialising in business turn-arounds and scaling operations, particularly within the electric vehicle (EV) landscape.

He spent over a decade at India Yamaha Motor from 2007 to 2019, growing to the ranks of Senior Vice-President Sales Marketing. He had joined Tork Motors in 2019 spending over a year at the electric motorcycle company before joining Ampere Electric Vehicles as COO and Executive Director Electric Mobility.

In his new role, he will lead RattanIndia Enterprises-led Revolt Motors, which has been focussing on expanding its market share in the electric two-wheeler space.

For CY2025, Revolt MotoCorp has sold around 8,164 electric two-wheelers as compared to 9,955 units in CY2024. At present, Revolt MotoCorp’s product portfolio includes – Revolt RV1, Revolt RV1+, Revolt BlazeX, Revolt RV400BRZ and Revolt RV400 in the electric motorcycle segment.

conventional two-wheeler leadership at a major international brand, followed by a concentrated pivot into high-growth, executive roles across the Indian EV ecosystem, culminating in multiple tenures as CEO and President. He possesses proven skills in executive management (CXO), strategic sales, marketing, and operational leadership.

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Refex Mobility, the clean mobility arm of the Refex Group, has launched its operations in Delhi NCR, committing to fast-track clean corporate transportation in the region. The launch event was attended by the Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Prahlad Joshi, along with other dignitaries.

The company plans to deploy over 400 new four-wheeler clean-fuelled vehicles in Delhi NCR within the next three months, enhancing its presence across India.

Refex Mobility is looking to use its Delhi NCR launch as a springboard to scale into Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities nationwide. The firm currently operates a fleet of over 1,400 all-electric four-wheeler vehicles across Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai, serving more than 70 leading corporates from sectors including BFSI, IT/ITES, e-commerce and telecom. The company, supported by over 200 employees, has already abated 3.5 million kilograms of tailpipe CO2 emissions since its inception.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi commended the company's initiative, emphasising the need for solar-powered EV fleets: “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is advancing rapidly towards clean energy and sustainable mobility. To truly unlock the promise of electric vehicles and smart energy-efficient transportation, we must ensure they are powered by the sun. I urge corporates to lead the way by adopting solar-based charging for their EV fleets, thereby reducing oil imports, cutting emissions, and building greener, healthier cities in line with their ESG commitment.”

Anil Jain, Chairman & Managing Director, Refex Group, said, "Delhi NCR is not just an expansion for us but it is a commitment to scale. Within a couple of quarters, we will create one of the largest corporate clean-mobility fleets in the region. At Refex, we believe in diversification with responsibility, and Green Mobility is one of the most critical pillars of our sustainability journey."

Anirudh Arun, CEO, Refex Mobility, added, “At Refex Mobility, we are reimagining what reliable and responsible mobility means for India. Our promise is built on three pillars - dependable fleets that corporates can count on, exceptional experiences for every rider, and a deep commitment to sustainability and our driver partners. With our entry into Delhi NCR, we are proud to bring this ethos to the capital, as we continue shaping a cleaner and more trusted future for urban mobility.”

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Yuma Energy, one of India's fastest-growing Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) providers, has announced a major partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) to rapidly scale its battery swapping network across the country. HPCL is one of India's largest energy companies, boasting a vast network of over 24,000 retail outlets.

By leveraging HPCL's extensive footprint, Yuma Energy aims to gain a strategic advantage, allowing it to deploy its AI-driven battery swapping stations in high-demand locations – from major metro areas to Tier-2 towns.

This move aims to give riders, delivery fleets and businesses instant and reliable energy access that is as quick as traditional refuelling.

Yuma Energy will use HPCL's retail network to deploy its ‘Yuma Stations’ strategically based on real-time demand. This demand-responsive model ensures that EV users – including e-rickshaw drivers, gig-economy partners, and commuters – are always close to a fully charged battery.

The partnership directly addresses the key challenge of energy network infrastructure that needs to keep pace with India's accelerating EV adoption, particularly in the two- and three-wheeler segments. For HPCL, the alliance allows the company to diversify its business into future-ready energy solutions.

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Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions has introduced the E-Luna Prime, an electric two-wheeler designed for India's commuter motorcycle market. The new model builds on the success of the E-Luna, which has sold over 25,000 units since its launch.

The E-Luna Prime, the company shared, is engineered to meet the needs of millions of commuters, offering an affordable and practical solution for both urban and rural environments. It features rugged 16-inch alloy wheels, a digital cluster and a spacious front-loading area. The electric two-wheeler is available in two variants with ranges of 110 km and 140 km, prices starting at INR 82,490 (ex-showroom).

According to Kinetic Green, the E-Luna Prime offers significant savings compared to conventional petrol-based motorcycles. The total cost of ownership is estimated at just INR 2,500 per month, which includes the EMI and running expenses. This is a fraction of the estimated INR 7,500 monthly cost for a traditional ICE two-wheeler, potentially saving consumers up to INR 60,000 annually.

Dr Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder & CEO, Kinetic Green, said, "We are delighted to unveil the E-Luna Prime, that embodies our commitment to transforming the future of personal mobility in India. Building on the resounding success of our E-Luna series, which has garnered widespread acclaim from thousands of satisfied customers, the E-Luna Prime represents a significant leap forward in our pursuit of innovation and customer-centricity."

Dr. Motwani added that extensive consumer research revealed an opportunity to create "India's most affordable yet aspirational mobility solution for the fastest growing commuter motorcycle segment." She stated, "The E-Luna Prime, with its industry-leading features along with the winning proposition of INR 2,500 monthly ownership cost, exemplifies our commitment to address the evolving and unmet customer needs by leveraging cutting-edge electric vehicle innovations."

The E-Luna Prime is available in six colours and will be sold through Kinetic Green's network of over 300 dealerships across the country.

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