From almost 15% market share a decade earlier, scooters in India have risen to new highs. Led by Honda Activa, automatic scooters quickly changed the landscape of the Indian two-wheeler market. Today, consumers are increasingly moving away from motorcycles and accepting scooters. Here’s a list of top 5 upcoming automatic scooters to be launched in India in 2019.
Hero Maestro Edge 125
Unveiled at the 2018 Auto Expo, Hero Maestro Edge 125 will be the second offering by the Gurgaon based brand at in the 125 cc scooter segment. Powering this model will be the same Energy Boost engine which does duty in the recently launched Hero Destini 125. The 125 cc air-cooled engine will be in the same state of tune and will produce 8.7 bhp of power and 10.2 Nm of torque.
Features will include telescopic front suspension, external fuel filler and diamond cut alloy wheels. Hero MotoCorp’s i3S technology (Engine Start Stop) will also be present. The company may throw in an LED headlamp to stay in tune with the present crop of competition. The Hero Maestro Edge 125 will be launched in the next few weeks. Expect it to be positioned above the Hero Destini 125.
All-new Hero Pleasure
Struggling with falling sales, Hero MotoCorp will finally be updating the ageing Pleasure. Hero MotoCorp may offer the all-new model with the 110 cc engine seen in the scooters Maestro Edge and Duet. This engine is capable of producing 8 bhp of power and 8.7 Nm of torque. The 2019 Hero Pleasure will feature new front fascia with silver inserts and maybe an LED headlamp. Both steel and alloy wheels will be on offer. The i3S system is also on the cards. Expect a marginal price increment with a launch happening by Q1 FY 2019-20 (April-June).
Aprilia Storm 125
Another interesting product from Auto Expo 2018 was the Aprilia Storm 125, expected to be launched very soon now. Powering the Aprilia Strom 125 is the same 124.49 cc engine which does duty in the SR125. This engine is capable of producing 9.51 bhp of power and 9.8 Nm of peak torque. Braking duties are administered by a disc in the front and a drum setup in the rear.
The Aprilia Storm 125 has 12-inch wheels wrapped in knobby tyres sourced from Vee Rubber. It will feature a matte paint scheme and bold graphics, and be available with several optional accessories, including a tall windscreen. It will carry an introductory price of INR 65,000 (ex-showroom).
TVS Jupiter 125
TVS began with its stint in the premium scooter segment with the N-Torq, which has been very successful. While not officially confirmed, several media reports suggest that TVS is working on a 125cc variant of the family scooter Jupiter. It may have slightly different styling and feature an LED headlamp as standard. Other features like a telescopic front fork, semi-digital instrumentation, and external fuel filler, offered in the 110 cc version, are a given. TVS may also throw in Bluetooth connectivity from the N-Torq.
The powerplant is expected to be the N-Torq's 124.79 cc unit (9.25 bhp/10.5 Nm) in a different state of tune. The TVS Jupiter 125 can be expected to hit the market before the festive season.
UM Chill 150
The American two-wheeler maker is expected to enter the lucrative scooter market with the UM Chill 150. Expect to be launched in August 2019, the UM Chill 150, as the name suggests, will have a 150 cc engine. While output figures for the same are not known, expect them to be on par with the competition (Vespa 150 cc models). The retro-styled scooter will be available in 4 colour options and feature plenty of chrome, a leather-wrapped seat, telescopic front fork, alloy wheels and ABS.
