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.
Keeping true to the motto of offering classic two-wheelers, revoking the spirit of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles of the yesteryears, Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles has unveiled the new Yezdi Adventure motorcycle that combines retro styling with modern technological developments that are desired of the customers and dictated by the regulations.
Indicating a clear improvement over the first generation Jawa and Yezdi machines, an outcome of research and development as well as the efforts to understanding the needs and aspirations of the customers, the company has treated the new Adventure machine with a classic-ADV styling, which includes a redesigned main cage, a rally-style peak and striking new colours.
Drawing attention are the striking looking twin LED headlamps (of Lumax make) at front. Balancing aspirational details and practical accessibility, the skeleton-like structure that works as a protection on either side comes into view. It partly covers the large, 15.5-litre large tank and acts as a protector in case of a fall so that the tank is not damaged. The structure could be also used to mount a small auxiliary fuel tank on either side in case of a long, arduous journey through a desolate countryside.
The rear styling of the new motorcycle includes twin LED tail lamps. It marks a near complete redesign of the rear portion over the model it succeeds. With a manufacturing facility at Pithampur near Indore and a research and development centre in Pune, the company, which is said to be in the process of developing a more powerful 450 cc engine for its next line of products, has equipped the new (2025) Adventure motorcycle with a 334 cc ‘Aplha 2’ liquid-cooled single cylinder fuel injected engine that is OBD2 and E20 compliant. The bore and stroke of the engine is 81 mm and 65 mm respectively.
Entering a market that is roughly defined as ‘mid-size adventure’ motorcycle market that consists of the Hero Xpulse, KTM 390 Adventure, Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and a few others, the new adventure-tourer motorcycle is equipped with an advanced advanced traction control system that incorporates three ABD modes – Road, Rain and Off-road.
Working to expand its dealer network to 500 numbers by the festive season from the current count of around 300, the company has engineered the ABS such that it is switchable for varied terrain.
The motorcycle has been engineered to offer a seat height of 815 mm to suit riders of diverse heights. The gearbox is a six-speed constant mesh variety where the first few ratios are designed to ensure a strong thrust (the kind that is favourable during off-road riding) and the later ratios are designed to be wide enough to support on-road touring.
Featuring an adjustable windscreen and a digital instrument cluster, the new motorcycle has seen gear-based fuel mapping for smooth power delivery across the rev range.
Available in six distinctive colours, the machine is priced upwards of INR 214,900 and up till INR 226,900 ex-showroom Delhi. Price wise, it is approximately INR 80,000 less than the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
Speaking at the launch with Boman Irani of the erstwhile Ideal Jawa Mysore, in Mumbai, Anupam Thareja, Co-Founder, Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles, said, “We have created India’s most honest adventure touring motorcycle. We did it with our signature style – it is a classic and it is a Yezdi.” “It is a motorcycle that the Indian adventure bikers were waiting for with the right combination of design, technology and performance born of India roads,” he explained.
- TVS Motor Company
- Indian Motorsport
- Official Race Machine Provider
- Apache GP200 R
- MIC Chennai
- FMSCI
- MMSC
- National Championship Pro Stock 200
TVS Motor Company Begins A New Era In Indian Motorsport
- By MT Bureau
- June 03, 2025
TVS Motor Company has become the official race machine provider for the National Championship Pro Stock 200 class at the 2025 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC), which is scheduled from 6 June 2025 to 8 June 2025 at MIC, Chennai.
This is the first time in the history of Indian motorsports that a brand has been entrusted to design, develop and provide race-tuned motorcycles specifically for the National Championship. The breakthrough paves the way to democratise two-wheeler racing, making it easier and more affordable for independent racers to participate, reflecting FMSCI and MMSC’s vision of expanding competitive motorsport.
The National Championship Pro Stock 200 at INMRC 2025 is a new and exciting format introduced by the MIC to elevate competition and support independent racing teams. As part of this development, TVSM will provide race-tuned TVS Apache GP200R motorcycles to independent teams, who will engage their racers to compete in this championship class.
PETRONAS TVS Racing team will provide complete technical support and machine service and maintenance to ensure peak performance throughout the season. With 20 years of TVS Apache’s racing heritage behind it, this milestone marks a powerful step forward in Indian motorsports. The selection process for participating teams and racers was recently concluded at the Madras International Circuit on 28 May 2025. Seven teams and twelve racers have been selected for this dynamic new class.
Vimal Sumbly, Head - Premium Business, TVS Motor Company, said, “At TVS Motor Company, our racing DNA drives us to innovate and lead from the front. We are proud to be the first two-wheeler manufacturer in Indian motorsport history to provide race-tuned machines to independent teams for the National Championship. This landmark development, supported by the vision of the Madras International Circuit makes it easier and more affordable for independent teams to participate and compete at the highest level. This year holds even greater significance as we mark two decades of our flagship performance brand, the TVS Apache – a true embodiment of our ‘Track to Road’ philosophy. As we charge into the new season, we aim not just to race, but to raise the bar for motorsports in India once again.”
The specifications of the race-tuned Apache GP200 R are,
Displacement: 200 cc
Kerb Weight: 105 Kg
Maximum Power: A 40 percent increase from 19.5 bhp
Top Speed: Over 155 kmph
The modification details include a modified cylinder head for higher volumetric efficiency, high lift camshaft, high compression ratio, advanced ECU with closed-loop control, quick shifter, data logging capabilities, fine-tuned induction and exhaust system, adjustable front and rear suspension, aerodynamic bodywork, lighter racing wheels, aluminium subframe, and higher brake power.
Ather Rizta Crosses 1 Lakh Unit Retail Sales Mark
- By MT Bureau
- June 03, 2025
Ather Energy Limited has announced that its family scooter, the Rizta, has crossed the one lakh unit retail sales milestone within a year of its launch. The e-scooter has received a strong response from family scooter buyers across India, since its unveiling in April 2024, contributing to significant growth in Ather’s market share.
Commenting on this milestone, Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said, “Hitting the one lakh milestone with the Rizta is a big moment for us. The Rizta, which was built from the ground up with a focus on addressing the needs of Indian families, has played a key role in expanding our reach and connecting with a much wider set of customers. It combines practically everything a family scooter needs: a spacious and comfortable seat, ample storage, safety features, and reliability to make every day commuting effortless.” “All of this is packaged in great design that Ather has come to be known for. In less than a year since its launch, the Rizta has helped us grow our market share significantly across multiple states, broadened our consumer profile, and accelerated adoption in states where our presence was earlier limited,” he added.
Expanding the reach of Ather Energy into the family e-scooter market that has the likes of TVS iQube, the Rizta is claimed to have contributed to its manufacturer’s efforts in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh to scale up. This is particularly said to be the case in the second quarter of FY25. The family e-scooter is known to account for around 60 percent of the total sales to date.
As per the Vahan data, Ather Energy has described itself as the Number one brand in South India with the 450 and Rizta as the products. The Rizta features a 56-litre under-seat storage space; a wide and comfortable seat; a spacious floorboard; ‘SkidControl’ traction control system that manages motor torque to prevent loss of traction on low friction surfaces like gravel, sand, water or oil; tow and theft alert, which notifies the owner about any unauthorised movement of their scooters; emergency stop system which flashes the tail light rapidly to indicate to the vehicle behind that you’re coming to a sudden halt; a software enabled ‘Live Location Sharing’ which is a part of the AtherStack 6 and allows riders to share their location with a preset contact in just a few clicks and enhances the safety of riders in emergency situations, and Google Maps on the dashboard for easy navigation.
The electric powertrain of the family e-scooter is similar to that of the 450.
India Yamaha Motor Introduces 5-year Road Side Assistance Program
- By MT Bureau
- May 30, 2025
Japanese two-wheeler major India Yamaha Motor (IYM) has introduced five-year Roadside Assistance (RSA) program, as part of its 40-year milestone in India.
The program will offer customers an extended RSA program for five years at just INR 975, which will bring forth peace-of-mind, especially during an unforeseen on-road emergency.
The company will provide – towing support in case of breakdown or accident, battery jumpstart assistance, flat tyre support, running repair services for minor issues and medical assistance in case of emergencies.
The new initiative will further complement Yamaha’s recent 10-year ‘Total Warranty Program’, which offers customers to get 2+8 years extended warranty.
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