Hero Electric expands range with new motorcycle and scooter at Auto Expo

Hero Electric today took the covers off three new products on two wheels:  including a new high-speed motorcycle, a tech-enabled scooter, and a trike.

The motorcycle, dubbed AE-47, is one of Hero Electric’s most premium offerings yet. It is powered by a 6kW motor, with the company claiming top speed of 100kph, and a 0-60kph time of 9sec. What’s also impressive is the claimed range – the 3.5kWh Li-ion battery returns 85km in Power mode, and 160km in Eco mode. Full charge to 100 percent is said to take 4 hours.

Other features include a disc brake on both ends – 290mm at the front and 215mm at the rear – and a combined braking system. The AE-47 features a telescopic fork and monoshock, and Hero Electric says that it will feature a cruise control system, a digital instrument cluster, keyless access, a mobile charging port, and a reverse gear as well. Like a lot of electric two-wheelers these days, the AE-47 will supposedly also come with smartphone connectivity via an app that will enable real-time tracking and geo-fencing.

When it does go on sale later this year, the AE-47 – expected to be priced from Rs 130,000 to Rs 150,000 – will be quite expensive compared to the rest of Hero Electric’s line-up.

Hero Electric's Sohinder Singh Gill and Naveen Munjal with the AE-47 e-bike.

New e-scooter to go on sale soon
Hero Electric also showcased a new scooter model called the AE-29 that will join its ‘high-speed’ line of scooters. While prices for the same are yet to be announced, the model on display is production-ready and slated to go on sale in a few months.

The AE-29 will be capable of a top speed of 55kph with its 1kW motor – a considerable improvement over a majority of Hero Electric’s scooters that are capable of speeds under 40kph. The battery, meanwhile, is a 3.5kWh unit that will allow for a claimed range of 80km and take 4 hours to fully charge, according to the company.

Currently, Hero Electric’s line-up consists of an E2, E5 and ER series and it remains to be seen if ‘AE’ is a new series of products that will offer smart connectivity features and improved range.

The company also showcased an AE-8 scooter that will offer a range of 80km and a top speed of 25kph.

According to Naveen Munjal, managing director of Hero Electric, “Being the pioneer in electric vehicles, Hero Electric aims to be at the forefront of the electric mobility revolution by providing technologically advanced products to meet the growing aspirations of our customers. We are confident to drive the vision of greener and cleaner future as we further move ahead into a new era of providing sustainable mobility solutions to align with governments vision to electrify all vehicles in the country by 2030. Auto Expo 2020 marks a significant occasion in the journey of Hero Electric towards a greener and sustainable future, providing smart mobility solutions to new age tech savvy customer.”

To expand network to 1,000 by end-2020, production to 500,000 units

The company’s current product line-up ranges from the Flash Lead Acid low-speed segment and goes all the way to the Photon lithium-ion scooter in the high-speed segment including the newly launched products.

Hero Electric plans to expand its current 620 touch-points to 1000 by end of 2020 and make the brand accessible even in the most interior parts of the country. The company has aggressive investment plans in the next three years to ramp up production capacity of its electric scooters to 500,000 units annually, with a focus on low-speed scooters for last-mile connectivity.

About Hero Electric India:  

HERO ELECTRIC is a pioneer of electric mobility and the largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer in India. The company has set up a manufacturing unit at Ludhiana, Punjab, with a total installed capacity of 100,000 units per annum. Hero Electric currently has over 610 sales and service outlets spread across the country, including top metros, min-metros, and even smaller towns.

Hero Electric launched the first Lithium-ion based electric scooter in India and introduced the unique concept of charging stations for anywhere and everywhere usage. With close to 300,000 electric two-wheelers in India, the company has been delivering sustainable mobility solutions for the past 12 years. It continues to play a significant role in developing the EV market in the country.

Hero Electric has been at the forefront of the electric two-wheeler revolution in India and encourages all to switch to electric mobility. It is committed to its philosophy of the #SmartMove by actively working towards generating awareness to curb air pollution through the umbrella campaign #CodeGreen