Plans electric-vehicles for launch in 2022
Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, is gradually resuming operations by starting single shift production at three of its plants at Gurugram and Dharuhera in Haryana and at Haridwar in the northern hill state of Uttarakhand, from 17 May 2021.
In addition to producing for the domestic market in India, these plants will also have enhanced focus on catering to the Global Business (GB) markets across the world, said the company while continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and gradual opening of the remaining manufacturing plants and other facilities in India.
Hero MotoCorp had proactively halted the plant operations temporarily in a staggered manner for four days from April 22-May 2, which was then extended till May 16.
All corporate offices of the company have already been in Work from Home (WFH)
The two-wheeler manufacturer is also entering the electric model and has planned a first launch next year.
Bullish on the electric vehicle (EV) vertical, the company is utilising its Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Stephanskirchen (Germany) based R&D set-ups to develop its own products.
Besides, it has tied up with Taiwan-based Gogoro Inc to bring the latter’s battery swapping platform to India.
The partners have also decided to collaborate on electric vehicle development to bring Hero-branded, powered by Gogoro network vehicles to market.
“We are trying to launch one of the EV products in fiscal year 2022, and you will see multiple actions, whether it is our own product or a swap product or with Gogoro. All of those actions you will see in the next calendar year,” Press Trust of India quoted Hero MotoCorp CFO Niranjan Gupta saying in an analyst call.
In order to tap the segment, the two-wheeler maker has already invested in Bengaluru-based EV startup Ather Energy, which already has introduced models in the market.
Elaborating on the EV strategy, Gupta said the company’s Germany and Jaipur-based R&D centres have been working to develop products based on fixed charging system.
The Gogoro partnership on the other hand is focusing on the swap based system, added Gupta.
“Our view is that probably both will work in parallel to each other. Given the entire appetite and the infrastructure that exists, it is complementary that our own programme works on a fixed charging and then with Gogoro which will work on swapping, that allows us to play in both the spaces,” PTI had Gupta as saying.
The tie-up with the Taiwan-based firm could also help the company to strengthen its own product development programme.
“From a swapping system, of course, Gogoro has got ready and proven technology. They know how it works and there is a lot of learning that has gone into it in Taiwan, so that helps us in taking off the ground very quickly,” Gupta said. The timeline for both the projects is next year. #manufacturing #investment #technologies #exports #evehicles #renewables /fiinews.com
