TVS Motor readying hybrid and pure electric vehicles

Sources have confirmed that TVS Motor Company is working on vehicles powered by alternate energy including pure-electric and hybrid model(s).

Autocar Professional learns that India’s third largest two-wheeler company is planning to commercially launch its first hybrid vehicle in the domestic market by December 2017 and its first pure electric model by April 2018.

Confirming the launch of new hybrid and electric models, a senior company official said, “Yes, this is true. TVS Motor is looking to roll out a hybrid vehicle by December later this year and an all-new pure electric vehicle by April 2018. I won’t be able to comment any further on the incoming products. More product-specific information will given out closer to the launch date.”

Autocar India recently revealed the first pictures of the all-new electric scooter being charged at an apartment complex in Bangalore.

Last week, while addressing a gathering of shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting, chairman Venu Srinivasan had briefly spoken about the incoming hybrid and electric models.

TVS Motor is known for being the only major Indian two-wheeler company which has showcased its technological prowess in the areas of hybrid vehicles (two- and three-wheelers) at the previous editions of the Delhi Auto Expo (in 2010, 2012 and 2014).

Although the company remained technology ready with its prototype hybrid scooter – the Qube –  the project could never see the daylight as the it lacked a viable business case, say industry experts.

Interestingly, the company’s R&D has developed its own battery management system (BMS), which is one of the key areas of competencies in battery-powered vehicles. The same was displayed and demonstrated in e previous editions of the Delhi Auto Expo.

TVS Motor’s R&D team dedicated to the development of BMS and other EV competencies is understood to have gained expertise in assembling imported lithium ion cells together to form individual battery packs. These battery packs can be further assembled to develop a complete rechargeable battery unit. The company’s strong R&D team, which has been working on the subject for years, is understood to leverage its capabilities in developing low-cost solutions for hybrid and electric vehicles.

It can be recalled that at the 2014 Auto Expo, TVS engineers had demonstrated the utility of the replaceable battery packs for recharging purposes. The vehicle it had then used for demonstration was its King three-wheeler model.

It is to be noted that TVS Motor has more than doubled its R&D spend between FY2011-12 and FY2016-17. The company, which employs more than 600 engineers and follows a strong R&D culture internally, has invested Rs 244.7 crore in FY2016-17, claims a company document.

Fast-growing EV competencies in India’s 2-wheeler industry
Given the government's heightened focus on electric mobility, two-wheeler OEMs and other vehicle segment manufacturers are actively engaged in driving EV projects forward.

The Bangalore-based start-up, Ather Energy, which is readying what it calls India’s first smart electric scooter the S340, is planning to begin production by December-January later in this financial year.

The start-up, which has been developing the S340 for the last three years, received strategic investments worth Rs 205 crore by India’s largest two-wheeler company, Hero MotoCorp in October 2016.

Hero MotoCorp officials have maintained that the company is following a two-pronged strategy on the potential of its electric two-wheeler business. “While on one side we remain invested in Ather Energy, on the other we are developing our in-house capabilities for developing electric vehicles for the future,” a senior company official told Autocar Professional recently. The official though remained tight-lipped on the prospects of Hero MotoCorp borrowing technology from Ather Energy.

Bajaj Auto is another major two-wheeler player that has commenced development of electric vehicles. It can be recalled that Autocar Professional on July 4 broke news on Bajaj Auto looking to foray into the EV space with its battery-powered three-wheeler.

The company, which is the largest player in the domestic three-wheeler segment with a market share of almost 50 percent in FY2016-17, is well placed to explore new technologies around the electric vehicles, the report quoted.

Sources say that Bajaj Auto has a tentative roadmap of rolling out its electric three-wheeler in the domestic market in another 12-18 months from now.

Pune-based Tork Motorcycles is another start-up, which is looking to venture into the electric two-wheeler space with its battery-powered motorcycle called T6X. The firm is fast working to bring the product to the domestic market.

It is understood that updates from other major players such as Honda, Yamaha and others on the development of electric vehicles will follow soon in the foreseeable future.