Affordable electric vehicle technology for motorcycles is still not available anywhere in the world, Hero MotoCorp CEO Harshavardhan Chitale said, underscoring the challenges facing the electrification of India's largest two-wheeler segment even as the country pushes toward cleaner mobility.
While speaking at a World Environment Day event organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Chitale said electric motorcycles would play a crucial role in India's long-term decarbonisation journey, but current technology remains inadequate for the mass market.
"If 2070 Net Zero has to happen, the only way in the auto sector it can happen is through either electrification or green hydrogen," Chitale said.
However, he noted that adoption of electric motorcycles remains negligible compared with electric scooters. "In motorcycles, it [EV penetration] is not even half a percent. Because motorcycles, as a vehicle category, need longer range, need longer load-bearing capacity," he said.
"Today, affordable EV technology is not there. Globally, not just in India, it is not there."
The comments come as automakers intensify efforts to develop electric motorcycles, a segment that has lagged behind the robust growth seen in electric scooters.
Startups such as Ultraviolette, Matter, Revolt and Ola Electric have already launched products, while Hero-backed Ather Energy is developing a dedicated electric motorcycle platform.
Among legacy OEMs, Royal Enfield has unveiled its first electric motorcycle under the Flying Flea brand. Hero MotoCorp, which has partnered with US-based electric motorcycle maker Zero Motorcycles, is also gearing up for an entry into the electric motorcycle market.
Hero MotoCorp has been working on an electric version of the Splendor for some time. The slow progress on that front reflects the technological challenges that Chitale highlighted.
Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence that advances in technology would eventually make electric motorcycles viable for mainstream buyers.
"I am sure, with the innovation power of the country, it is a matter of a few years before we also create an affordable EV motorcycle for the masses," he said.
Until then, Chitale argued that flex-fuel technology offers the quickest route to cutting emissions and reducing dependence on imported fuels. "Without waiting for 2070. And if you want to decarbonise fast, there is no better way to do it, we believe, than with biofuel," he said.
Hero MotoCorp on Wednesday launched flex-fuel versions of its high-volume Splendor and HF Deluxe motorcycles, betting that ethanol-compatible vehicles can deliver emissions benefits at scale while fuel infrastructure develops.
"Why flex fuels? Because today, you won't have ethanol E100 or E85 everywhere. There would be locations where it's largely still E20. And we will need vehicles that can go across different blends of ethanol," Chitale said.
The company plans to expand the technology across its lineup as ethanol availability improves.
"We have made a commitment that as this starts becoming available nationwide, at rates that make sense to the consumer, we will convert all our portfolio, all our models, within the next one to two years," he said.
"And this, we believe, will be the near-term answer for reducing carbon emissions."