The word- ‘milestone’ was repeated numerous times by the company’s chairman in its recent virtual press conference. Often with gleaming pride in his eyes- the pride of a dutiful son, a leading corporate visionary, and a hardworking man bearing the fruits of his labour.
Standing tall at Hero’s manufacturing facility in Gurugram, the CEO reflected on the sombre year that went by and is almost certain that the current year will shine a better light on us all. Joined shortly by the movie star Sharukh Khan, he reflected on various hardships, achievements, and yet again- ‘milestones’.
When asked by the keenly interested actor, on how the mobility company set out with its journey, the Managing Director said, “It was on January 19th, 1984, exactly 37 years ago that this company was incorporated. Fuelled by the focus on the future and reaching new milestones, a dream was set in motion, with a vision for the company it wanted to be.” In his air of passionate pleasantry, the captain of Hero said they had little to no idea about how big his company would turn out. “My beloved father Dr Brijmohan Lall Munjal put the building blocks in place for an ecosystem that has provided mobility to millions globally,” he added.
The head of the company explained that the monumental milestone of producing their one-millionth product, which at a time, seemed like a distant dream. Still grasping at the amazing feat, he pointed out that, “This milestone signifies much more than just a sales record; it is the success of our iconic brand, it is the trust our customers have placed in us, in our bikes and scooters. It is the hard work of the employees, all our heroes, and along with all of this- it is the success of this nation, our India.”
Speaking on the company founder, he said, his father would have been humbled and proud on seeing how far their company has come since its initial days.
In the time that ensued, three of Hero’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities were pitted against each other, in a race against time to deliver its 100-millionth motorcycle. The Gurugram plant, the place of the press conference, faced off, rather dramatically-against the Neemrana plant in Rajasthan and Hero’s largest facility in Haridwar.
Speaking on the pandemic and how it affected his company, Munjal said, “It would have been very easy to relax, defer all targets and wait for life to get back to normal. At Hero, our entire ecosystem came together and ensured we stayed on course to meet our new, enhanced goals and create hope for the economy.” This productivity evidently shows in their most recent achievement. He further explained that this very work ethic has kept the two-wheeler company at the top of the sales charts for over two decades. With 50 million products in 2013, it has taken the company just seven years to double that number to 100 million.
Munjal, in a considerate tone, with arms open, said, “Sustainability is very close to my heart and one of the key pillars of our operation- we ensure we continuously focus in providing sustainable growth to the society we operate in and also to all our stakeholders. Our manufacturing facilities across the globe are aptly called garden factories for their sustainability and green initiatives.” He further highlighted the range of diversity seen in their facilities across the globe. With employees from over ten different nationalities and a strong backbone in the female workforce, he said his company is one that embraces diversity.
The leader of the firm hints at, possibly- an electric commuter, when he said. “We are keenly aware of the future mobility requirements as well, keeping an eye for changing trends and keeping pace with our dynamic world, we are simultaneously ensuring future-readiness by working on alternate mobility solutions as well.”
Amidst all conversation, the 100-millionth motorcycle was finally off the assembly line in the Haridwar plant. The Xtreme 160R, Hero’s latest contribution to the commuter segment was, incidentally- the motorcycle to make headlines.
Concluding this event, Munjal pondered on the times to come. “We are going to continue to ride our growth journey. In keeping with our Vision to ‘Be the Future of Mobility,’ we will be launching a host of new motorcycles & scooters over the next five years, in addition to expanding our global footprint. We will also continue to invest in R&D and focus on new mobility solutions.” he added. (MT)
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India’s Electric Two-Wheeler Thrust
- by Aditya Gowda
- August 14, 2021
July 2021 was a month of much activity and announcements in the Indian electric two-wheeler industry. Much of it had to do with the announcement of Phase II of FAME II scheme by the Central Government, which seemed to favour the early adoption of electric two- and three-wheelers. Many states followed suit with a new or revised electric vehicle (EV) policy. Of the opinion that the new FAME II scheme will disrupt the two-wheeler market in India, Tarun Mehta, CEO and Co-founder, Ather Energy, said, “They could clock sales of over six million units by 2025.”
The increase in maximum subsidy limit from 20 to 40 percent in the case of initial acquisition cost has enabled electric two-wheeler OEMs to reduce the sticker price of their products a good deal. The arrangement is such that the government will reimburse the OEM the subsidy amount after it has sold the vehicle to its customer, the actual beneficiary. “Lowering the prices of electric scooters will help to persuade more riders to switch to an electric one,” said Jeetender Sharma, MD and Founder, Okinawa Autotech. Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), informed, “The Gujarat State Government’s subsidy of INR 20,000 for electric two-wheelers that cost up to INR 150,000 has a potential to make it an EV hub,” Referring to the Maharashtra EV policy, which provides a subsidy of INR 10,000 on an electric two-wheeler, Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD and CEO, Ampere Vehicles, remarked, “The policy will not only boost electric vehicle growth, it will also provide employment.”
Helping electric two- and three-wheeler proliferate, the Phase II of FAME II and the EV policies of various states, it is clear, are looking at attracting investments and employment opportunities. These policies are also looking at creating a self-sufficient (Atmanirbhar Bharat) ecosystem of fundamental manufacture – that of chips, battery cells, motors and controllers. India has the software but needs the hardware, mentioned a source. He pointed at Ola’s high voltage campaign for its e-scooter, and said that the real slog will start only after the plant is up and running. It will begin when the e-scooter hits the road and starts competing against numerous others. Stressing on the presence of equally capable global, regional and local players, he explained, it is as necessary to understand the psyche of the market as much as it is to have the technology and the money to invest. Carrying with them the image of being premium and technologically superior, the Ather e-scooters have been attracting attention for some time.
Its dealer from Maharashtra mentioned that awareness for electric two-wheelers is growing and the number of footfalls after the fuel price hike. Range anxiety, however, remains to be a challenge, he said. Across segments – Ather e-scooters are said to be premium offerings compared to others with a price premium of roughly INR 30,000 to INR 40,000. Range anxiety is a factor that is proving challenging to many. Especially along with the higher initial acquisition cost. The innovative technological achievements like a detachable battery pack that could be taken out for charging at home or in the office are helping to an extent. They are also highlighting the efforts of the electric two-wheeler OEMs to understand the dynamic regulatory and market requirements.
Investments in technology involving materials and sciences are yielding better products no doubt. With the emergence of demand for commercial-use electric three-wheelers, companies like Komaki are quick to respond. Its XGT CAT 2.0 e-bike with a 350 kg payload is designed to address the needs of e-commerce logistics companies like Delhivery and Ekart, and aggregator platforms like Swiggy and Zomato. Looking at maximum uptime and reliability in the last-mile space, commercial electric three-wheeler users, tasked with attacking as many pin codes and as many customers as they could in a strict time stipulation, are keen to control costs as well as reduce their carbon footprint. Leveraging IoT and AI to analyse data, they are choosing between Lithium-ion powered and lead-acid battery-powered electric two-wheelers. (MT)
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Add Comment- Pavna Industries
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Suzuki Hayabusa Teased Ahead Of Premier On February 5th
- by Mt Bureau
- January 29, 2021
Japanese bike-maker, Suzuki, is set to showcase their iconic flagship motorcycle on February 5th. The Hayabusa, first launched in 1999, gained a massive cult following from eager fans all over the world. Once termed the world’s fastest production motorcycle, this superbike will soon be back in action.
The teaser, which runs 25 seconds long, shows glimpses of the 4-cylinder sports bike, on a bowl track, doing around 180 mph at 10,000 RPM, 1,000 RPM still left for its redline.
The Hayabusa still retains the analogue instrument cluster, an uncommon sight in today’s premium motorcycle market. The engine will meet the latest European (and consequently Indian) emissions regulations.
The world-wide unveil next week is expected to shed more light on the details of the motorcycle.
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JK Tyre is all set to host the 24th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship (JKNRC) 2021 at the Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore on 23-24 Oct 2021. The event will also witness the debut of the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup.
Royal Enfield has announced its debut into track racing with its flagship racing motorcycle – the Continental GT 650. Typically involving faired/sports motorcycles, the Continental GT Cup is India’s first retro motorcycle racing format. It is aimed at making track racing accessible for new entrants as well as experienced racers.
With over 300 aspirants applying for the race, 100 racers were shortlisted and invited to Coimbatore for the selection on Monday, 18 October. Making up the final racing roster are 18 riders who qualified for the races on Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, two media wild cards were also shortlisted for the race.
Riders from across the country took part in the qualifiers with Anfal Akdhar, a rider from Thirssur, topping the chart at 1:23.126 minutes, Anish Damodara Shetty, a well-known rider, also provided strong competition. Lani Zena Fernandez, a young lady from Puducherry, took the track by storm with her confidence on the track. Raivat Dhar, a young racer from Jammu, also made it to the final grid. With the majority of the racers being from Southern India, Raivat will represent the northernmost state of the country at the race on Sunday. (MT)
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Add Comment- Ultraviolette Automotive
- Vinayak Bhat
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Ultraviolette Automotive Elevates Vinayak Bhat As Chief Product Officer
- by MT Bureau
- August 20, 2024
TVS Motor Company-backed Ultraviolette Automotive, a premium electric motorcycle company, has promoted Vinayak Bhat to the position of Chief Product Officer.
In his new role, Bhat will be tasked to expand Ultraviolette’s product portfolio through the entire lifecycle from inception and design to development and market introduction. He will lead Ultraviolette's endeavours in broadening its product range and catalysing innovation in the high-performance EV space.
Vinayak Bhat said, "I've witnessed Ultraviolette's unwavering pursuit of innovation. My goal is to craft exceptional products for global markets through our strategy of vertical integration - specifically across critical elements like the battery technology, drivetrain and vehicle architecture. Our aim: redefine standards and solidify Ultraviolette’s position as a global leader in electric mobility."
Before assuming the role of CPO, Bhat served as the Technical Director and Principal Engineer at Ultraviolette. Since joining the company in 2017, he has played a pivotal role in the development of the F77 Mach 2 and F99 Racing Platform and overseeing coordination across all aspects of product development, engineering, operations, and manufacturing functions.
Narayan Subramaniam, CEO & Co-Founder, Ultraviolette Automotive said, "Vinayak's in-depth understanding of aerospace and electric vehicle technologies provides him with a unique perspective that will be critical in driving our culture of innovation. His leadership was instrumental in the successful launch of our flagship products - the F77 and the F77 Mach 2. I am confident that with Vinayak’s appointment as CPO, we will achieve newer heights in innovation and market penetration."
Bhat started his professional journey in 2013 at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a structural engineer. Further transitioning to Safran Engineering as a design analyst, he is said to have contributed significantly towards key projects for Airbus and Boeing, with a focus on landing gears, nacelles, and fuselage components.
Niraj Rajmohan, CTO & Co-Founder, Ultraviolette Automotive said, "Vinayak has been instrumental in driving our product development initiatives. His exceptional technical prowess and exemplary leadership have been pivotal in realising our vision. As CPO, his visionary leadership will play a crucial role in our quest for global leadership in electric mobility. We eagerly anticipate the strategic direction he will provide, propelling us forward and opening new avenues for growth and innovation.”
Ultraviolette Automotive plans to introduce new products for multiple mobility segments over the next five years, targeting both domestic and international markets.
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