TVS iQube will see an upgrade in the next couple of months and we can expect it to get a higher riding range per charge
The transition towards electric mobility solutions is well and truly on in the Indian automotive industry and although the timeline can be debatable, it is no secret that the adoption of eco-friendly vehicles is inevitable. In the last couple of years, we have seen mainstream manufacturers taking a plunge at the EV segment especially in the scooter category.
The homegrown manufacturers like TVS Motor Company and Bajaj Auto are well in the hunt and they already have the iQube and Chetak respectively in the electric scooter space. The Hosur-based brand will reportedly invest around Rs. 1,000 crore on its EV business for the betterment of the future and it will introduce a new range of electrified vehicles in the two- and three-wheeler space.
The upcoming EV range will have power output between 5 kW and 25 kW. Over the next 24 months, TVS is said to bring in new models to take advantage of the burgeoning electric vehicle segment. Besides investing in EVs, TVS will continue to bank on IC-engined vehicles where it witnesses growth. Sudarshan Venue, Joint Managing Director of TVS Motor Company, spoke about this in a recent interview.
He said, “We are excited about EVs. We’re investing in building capability and products to play a leading role in this in the EV space going forward, which we believe will grow fast,”. He confirmed that in addition to investing more than Rs. 1,000 crore, TVS’ EV business sees a team of over 500 engineers involved in the developmental activities of new EVs.
He commented on the future product lineup and said in the next couple of months, an upgraded iQube will be announced. TVS has rapidly been expanding the reach of the electric scooter across different parts of the country and with the increasing competition, higher battery range per charge is certainly the order of the range compared to the current 75 km range.
Before the end of this financial year, TVS plans to further widen the footprint of the iQube. TVS will also assess export opportunities with the EVs and partnerships for fast charging will aid in convenience to the consumers.