Raptee, a prominent electric motorcycle manufacturer, has successfully raised $3 million in a pre-series A funding round led by deep-tech VC fund Bluehill Capital. 

The round witnessed participation from industry luminaries, including Eugene Mayne, Founder and CEO of Tristar Global (UAE), Lakshmi Narayanan, Former CEO of Cognizant, and Ramesh Kannan, Managing Director of Kaynes Technology, among others from India and the UAE.

The newly acquired funds will be used for the manufacturing facility, acquiring essential machinery and tooling for the company’s upcoming motorcycle launch and expanding the team’s capabilities.

Raptee is a comprehensive electric motorcycle manufacturer with a robust indigenous technological foundation. The company has filed for over 45 patents to date. 

Dinesh Arjun, Co-founder CEO, Raptee, said, “India is the largest motorcycle market in the world, with EV adoption on the rise. At Raptee, we want to launch a motorcycle in a mid-premium segment for consumers who believe that EVs are a true upgrade from ICE vehicles. We are extremely fortunate to be backed by investors from the manufacturing and transportation industries who understand long-term value creation and can add strategic value for us as we gear up for production and scale-up. This being our first institutional round, we’re also proud to be backed by a DeepTech VC, Bluehill Capital. We’ve been refining and testing our vehicles, and the results are very promising. We are looking forward to launching it very soon.”

Manu Iyer, CEO & Partner, Bluehill Capital, said, “We strongly share the vision of the Raptee team to build world-class core EV technology right here in Chennai, India in a focused and cost-effective manner. Dinesh and his co-founders have diligently built the vehicle platform indigenously with intellectual property on various aspects of the vehicle sub-system. Having evaluated over 30 EV OEMs in India and having invested deeply in the EV and clean-tech ecosystem in India, we are impressed by Raptee’s cutting-edge tech and are excited to partner with them on their journey. We believe Raptee’s motorcycles will change the face of EV 2-wheelers in India,”

Raptee is the first Indian two-wheeler EV OEM to introduce high-voltage drive train technology, complemented by an onboard charger. This advancement renders it compatible with the rapidly growing CCS2 public charging network, which currently boasts over 9000 installed chargers in India, a figure comparable to the number of fuel pumps.

The high-voltage technology integrated into Raptee motorcycles ensures a much safer battery pack and extends battery life, effectively addressing range anxiety.

Earlier this year, Raptee was the sole OEM to receive a grant from ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India), the authoritative certifying body for automobiles in India, towards designing and developing high-voltage powertrain technology. The company anticipates the debut of its first motorcycle in early 2024, with experience centres in Chennai and Bangalore, followed by expansion into eight additional cities by the end of the inaugural year.

Raptee has already commenced R&D efforts for its following line of products and is preparing to augment the team size to 150 by its business strategy. The commendable progress made by Raptee has garnered recognition from the Tamil Nadu Government, resulting in the allocation of a 36-acre property for the company, along with other incentives to support manufacturing expansion.

Raptee has steadily expanded its team to over 50 members in the past year. The company’s swift advancement and visionary approach have led to the onboarding of esteemed suppliers for motorcycle components and seasoned industry leaders, promising quality delivery and streamlined turnaround times as production scales up.

Raptee has established its inaugural factory in Chennai, spanning three acres, which will serve as the primary hub for most of Raptee’s Research and Development team. With an annual capacity of 100,000 units, the facility will house on-site development and testing facilities and a dedicated battery pack assembly line. The projected investment for this factory is approximately INR 800 million crore.

Raptee’s EV motorcycle is slated for launch early next year, with plans to expand to 100 cities in India and explore select international markets conducive to their growth over the next three years.

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, has launched its XPulse 200 4V and XPulse 200 Pro motorcycles in the United Kingdom, expanding its international adventure motorcycle line-up.

The rollout represents the next phase of the manufacturer's European expansion, following its initial entry into the UK market last year through a distribution partnership with MotoGB.

The motorcycles were introduced at the Inch Perfect Trials in the Ribble Valley, marking the brand's latest European expansion following recent market entries in Italy and Spain. Distribution and aftersales service will be managed via MotoGB’s network of 36 sales and service outlets across the UK, with all models backed by a two-year warranty.

Both models are powered by a 199.6cc, four-stroke, four-valve, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine paired with a five-speed constant-mesh transmission. The engine produces 18.9 BHP at 8,500 RPM and 17.35 Nm of torque at 6,500 RPM. The motorcycles feature an LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation, a Class-D LED projector headlamp and three anti-lock braking system (ABS) modes (Road, Off-Road and Rally).

Harshavardhan Chitale, CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, “The launch of the XPulse 200 series marks an important step in strengthening Hero MotoCorp’s global adventure motorcycling portfolio in the UK. The XPulse has created a strong identity globally as an accessible yet highly capable adventure motorcycle that appeals to both - everyday riders and off-road enthusiasts. With its proven performance, versatility and adventure-focused DNA, we are confident that the XPulse range will strongly resonate with the riders. As we continue to expand across international markets, our focus remains on bringing globally benchmarked products and building deeper customer engagement worldwide.”

The XPulse 200 Pro includes hardware adaptations for off-road use, featuring handlebar risers to assist with standing positions and an extended gear shift lever designed to accommodate off-road riding boots. Both variants are equipped with protective bash plates, handguards, and a rear luggage plate with integrated cargo hooks as standard equipment.

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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company, a part of TVS Group, has appointed Ravindran Shanmugam as an independent director for a 5-year term, effective 13 May 2026, pending shareholder approval.

Shanmugam is a technology entrepreneur and business leader with experience in digital transformation and AI platforms. He currently serves as the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Mablle, an AI-based interior design platform in Singapore. He has previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and is an alumnus of the University of Oxford.

Sudarshan Venu, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, said, “Ravindran Shanmugam brings deep expertise in digital & consumer-focused businesses, and AI-led transformation, along with strong experience in strategy, entrepreneurship and scaling businesses across global markets. His perspectives will add valuable depth to the TVS Motor board as we continue to strengthen our future-ready growth ambitions. We are delighted to welcome him and look forward to benefiting from his insights and guidance.”

Ravindran Shanmugam, said, “I am honoured to join the board of TVS Motor Company, an institution with a strong legacy of engineering excellence, customer trust and global ambition. Mobility is being reshaped by technology, digital ecosystems, AI and evolving consumer expectations, and TVS Motor is well positioned to play a meaningful role in this transformation. I look forward to contributing to the board’s deliberations and supporting the company’s long-term growth journey with perspectives from technology-led transformation, platform businesses and consumer-focused innovation.”

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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company has reported revenue of INR 472.70 billion for FY2025-26, up 30 percent YoY, as compared to INR 362.51 billion last year.

The company reported its operating EBITDA for the year stood at 12.9 percent, while operating profit before tax reached INR 49.75 billion, up 40 percent YoY.

For FY2026, combined sales of two and three-wheelers increased by 24 percent to 5.88 million units. Within this total, motorcycle sales rose by 24 percent to 2.71 million units, while scooter sales grew by 27 percent to 2.41 million units.

Three-wheeler sales reached 219,000 units, an increase of 63 percent, while electric vehicle sales grew by 33 percent to 371,000 units, bringing the total customer base for this segment to more than 900,000.

For Q4 FY2026, the company recorded revenue of INR 128.08 billion, the operating EBITDA margin for the quarter was 13.1 percent. Normalised revenue for the quarter grew by 36 percent when excluding benefits from government incentive schemes recorded in the prior year.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers, has officially launched the NX500 E-Clutch at a price of INR 743,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The new variant introduces Honda's globally proven clutch automation technology to the mid-size adventure touring segment, priced approximately INR 111,000 higher than the standard manual version.

The E-Clutch system manages clutch engagement and disengagement during starting, gear shifting and stopping, effectively eliminating the need for the rider to pull the clutch lever. However, the system allows for manual override at any time and the motorcycle retains a traditional clutch lever for riders who prefer hands-on control.

The NX500 E-Clutch features a 471cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine producing 47 bhp and 43 Nm of torque. It gets a 6-speed gearbox with the automated E-Clutch system; the mechanism adds only 3 kg to the bike's kerb weight (now 199 kg). The motorcycle gets steel diamond frame with Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD front forks and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock.

In terms of stopping, it gets dual 296mm front discs and a 240mm rear disc with dual-channel ABS as standard.  

The NX500 features a 5-inch full-colour TFT display with Honda RoadSync (navigation, calls, music), Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) and all-LED lighting.

Tsutsu Otani,  President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The Honda NX500 equipped with E Clutch technology enhances comfort and control across both urban and touring environments in India, by reducing rider fatigue, while retaining the engaging, hands-on riding experience that defines Honda motorcycles.”

The NX500 E-Clutch is available in two colour options – Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic and Pearl Horizon White.

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