Royal Enfield is currently working on a number of new motorcycles across different price ranges; development duties on EVs are at a rapid pace
Royal Enfield’s parent, Eicher Motors, is planning to pour in more than Rs. 1,000 crore in the current financial year for the betterment of the brand’s future. It comes right on the back of good showing in recent years as regular product launches meant that the retro motorcycle maker is hitting new strides in the domestic as well as international markets.
At a recent earnings conference call, Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director of Eicher Motors confirmed that the work behind the curtains to bring in zero-emission vehicles in the future is well and truly on as Royal Enfield could bank on the EV affinity for short-distance commutes. The heart of the action will be the ICE models though as new 450 cc and 650 cc motorcycles are being tested.
The Chennai-based manufacturer has been developing EVs at a rapid pace according to him as the validation and testing procedures are underway. They are assured to be the “best in class and best in the world”. Royal Enfield has been on a launch spree since 2020 as the launch of the Meteor 350 was followed by the new-gen Classic 350 in 2021, the Hunter 350 last year and Super Meteor in early 2023.
R Govindarajan, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Enfield said, “Lot of new motorcycles are coming,” He noted that a very well-thought-through lineup is arriving in the coming year as the brand looks to expand its realm across new segments while building the community and releasing new apparels and accessories are also part of the agenda.
The Hunter 350 has been a runaway success for the company and the same can be said for the latest Classic 350. Up next, RE is expected to launch the single-seater iteration of the Classic 350 with white wall tyres and other tyres while the new generation Bullet 350 has also been long awaited. In the second half of this year, the all-new Himalayan 450 could debut.
It will be positioned above the existing Himalayan 411 and will directly compete against KTM 390 Adventure. The production version of the SG 650 concept could be unveiled later this year, and a 450 cc roadster will reportedly be introduced in early 2024.