Kinetic Group is developing an electric version of the currently-discontinued Luna, which is expected to launch this year
Last year, Pune-based Kinetic Group had announced that it was planning to revive the ‘Luna’ nameplate, but in an electric avatar. Now it seems like this electric moped is inching towards production, and launch is likely to happen this year. Considering the boom in Indian electric two-wheeler space in recent times, this wouldn’t be a surprising move on Kinetic’s part.
Kinetic Luna started life back in 1972, as a licensed version of the Piaggio Ciao, and its production was ended in the early 2000s. It was a tiny, 50cc moped that was designed to be an easy-to-ride, comfortable, and economical daily commuter. The electric Luna will likely preserve the charm of the original design, with a few modern touches.
The upcoming e-moped is expected to be powered by a 1 kW electric motor, which will be paired with a lithium-ion battery. This powertrain will offer a riding range of up to 80 km, and the top speed will be around a modest 25 kmph. Due to the low specifications, the vehicle would not require registration, and riders won’t need to carry around their driving license while riding it.
The Kinetic Luna electric will have an extremely aggressive price tag, likely under Rs. 50,000. As per speculations, it will have a commercial variant and a personal variant; the former will offer a storage box as well, ideal for delivery jobs, etc. Other than that, it might also offer swappable battery packs, which would make charging way more convenient.
The production of the electric Luna will likely happen at Kinetic’s new Ahmednagar manufacturing facility in Maharashtra. Spread across 300 acres, this facility consists of four sheds with a floor area of 65,000 sq. ft each. Its production lines will be responsible for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and buggies.
Upon launch, the Kinetic Luna electric will face competition from just one rival, the Gemopai Miso. The only other moped available in the Indian market currently is the TVS XL100, but that is an IC-engined vehicle and not an electric one.
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