Hero Electric showcased the prototype of its first-ever electric motorcycle, the AE-47, at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2020. Speaking to Electric Vehicle Web, the company has confirmed that it will not launch the electric motorcycle this year.
Hero Electric has three new EVs lined up for 2020 and squeezing in the AE-47 will be difficult. The report reveals that the electric motorcycle will be launched with a different name. The new name will be revealed at a later date closer to its commercial launch.
Targeting youngsters and IT professionals, Hero Electric sees the AE-47 as a brand-building exercise. Speaking about the current stage of electric vehicles in India and commercial expectations from the new motorcycle, Sohinder Singh Gill, CEO, Hero Electric India, said:
We are not at all looking for any volumes here. We are looking to convey the message to enjoy electric. It needn’t be always economy with electric vehicles and these are fun machines. They don’t give you any economic advantage as they will be costlier to run, maintain and costlier to buy. But then electric is electric.
The company's CEO added that a typical consumer of the Hero Electric AE-47 is a passionate motorcyclist who will see it as a ‘lifestyle statement’ and will not be making a cost-conscious decision.
Also Read: EeVe India unveils high-end electric two-wheelers
Initially, the Hero Electric AE-47 will not be launched pan-India. The company plans to offer it at only 40 to 50 dealers initially. The electric motorcycle is powered by a 4 kW motor which helps it accelerate from standstill to 60 km/h in 9 seconds. The motorcycle has a top speed of 85 km/h. It will have a range of 85 km in a single charge in Power mode, while in Eco mode this increases to 160 km. Hero Electric claims that the AE-47 has a charging time of 4 hours.
The Hero Electric AE-47 comes with features like full-LED lighting, Bluetooth-enabled instrument cluster, disc brakes at both ends, upside-down front fork and cruise control.
[Source: Electric Vehicle Web]
