Hero MotoCorp Ltd. is evolving hybrid technologies with the long term in mind, given the automotive industry’s rapid transformation to another powertrain technologies in order to diminish operating costs and emissions.
“Alternative powertrain technologies are going to be seen on the market. As you are aware, the industry is focusing more on EVs than ICE vehicles. We are developing fuel technology based on ethanol, called flex fuels. Long-term work is also being done on hybrid technology,” CEO Niranjan Gupta said.
When questioned about the market’s potential for compressed natural gas (CNG) powertrains and whether the company had any intentions to use them in the short future, Gupta made his remarks.
CNG was just unveiled to the industry as a new powerplant choice. The first manufacturer of two-wheelers to do so was Bajaj Auto, and TVS Motor also intends to release a CNG-powered scooter.
In India, hybrid technology—which combines an electric motor and combustion engine—is not very common in the two-wheeler market. With hybrid technology, a car’s internal combustion engine is combined with an electric motor and battery pack to reduce pollution and enhance fuel economy.
In contrast to the passenger car market, the two-wheeler business does not see much use for this technology. Other than Yamaha Motors, no other two-wheeler manufacturer in the nation has released a hybrid vehicle onto the market. The 125cc Yamaha Fascino scooter has hybrid technology. It has also come to light that Royal Enfield has been developing hybrid technology.
Hero MotoCorp is developing several powertrain technologies because the management thinks that a combination of several powertrains could be effective in the long term. “We’re also trying to make our products more fuel-efficient. Everything about the powertrain technology is around reducing running costs and using cleaner fuel.” Gupta told investors.
Recently, hybrid technology has become very prominent in the passenger car segment. The motivation behind hybrid cars pursues to boost, with sales surpassing those of electric vehicles in recent months. Recently, Uttar Pradesh began giving a 100% waiver on road tax for strong hybrid cars.
Hero MotoCorp, on the other hand, is enlarging on its electric car business under the Vida brand, intending to increase the number of vehicles it offers from the current two to four this year. While one of the scooters might be in the mid-segment, the other is probably in the inexpensive level.
