Exclusive: India’s First Hybrid Scooter TVS IQube to be Launched Soon

The launch of the IQube will likely be followed by TVS Hybrid as the second model in the line-up

TVS iqube hybrid

In another TVS exclusive, we can now disclose that the Indian two-wheeler manufacturer is pondering on introducing the country’s first ever hybrid scooter by the end of this year. TVS Motor Company will more likely kick start a segment that has plenty of potential, especially with the Indian customers’ recent affinity towards buying scooters.
We can also confirm that TVS has applied for trademarking IQube and Hybrid nomenclatures and the former is expected to come out as the first model.

The TVS IQube will be based on the Qube concept that broke covers at the 2012 edition of the Indian Auto Expo. The hybrid segment will complement the government’s push towards curbing emission throughout the country and will presumably have a fair share of incentives applied to bring the costs down. The Qube concept was introduced with a 100 cc petrol engine supported by an electric motor and comes paired with a four-speed transmission.

tvs-motors-iqube

Additionally, the powertrain offered for multiple driving modes the rider can choose. The hybrid system worked in a way that the power is drawn from the brake energy applied on the vehicle which gets stored in a lithium ion battery pack helping to run the electric motor. Instead of switching to a full-electric drivetrain, the hybrid power unit makes for a lot sense at this stage for India as the transition cannot be abrupt and should be meeting the buyers’ aspect of affordability. The Qube scooter concept will influence the design of the production IQube and it could have the option of all electric system for shorter durations as featured in the concept.

It will have hybrid economy and hybrid power mode. In power mode, both the power sources will work in tandem to provide better output while in the economy mode, the electric motor will save energy and increase the efficiency alongside significantly reducing emission and meeting BSIV norms. Possibilities of the TVS Hybrid becoming the second product in the eco-friendly range of scooters are certainly high. In European markets, the city-run hybrid scooters are immensely popular, TVS could kick start such a trend and hopefully expand it to suit the variety of typical expectations from Indian customers.

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