The luxury motorbike company Royal Enfield, which is owned by Eicher Motors, has formed a dedicated commercial team to help it become ready to enter the electric vehicle (EV) market. Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director of Eicher Motors, stressed the establishment of this unique vertical centered on electric vehicles during a call with journalists following the company’s profits.
The business, managed by Umesh Krishnappa, the former Chief Technology Officer of Ola Electric, has brought together a strong group of engineers dedicated to the development of electric vehicles. Furthermore, Mario Alvisi, who was formerly employed by Ducati, has joined Royal Enfield to serve as the Chief Growth Officer for the electric vehicle market.
Royal Enfield revealed its intentions to create a variety of electric cars the year before, possibly releasing its first electric motorcycle in 2025. When questioned about more specific launch information, the management did not commit to a timeframe and made it clear that it would not take place during the current fiscal year.
Lal emphasized the significant progress made in the field of electric vehicles, noting that significant progress was made last year toward the adoption of EVs. They possess both the complete product plan and the product’s future roadmap. They are focused on testing and prototyping electric vehicles, and they have made great strides in this area.
Despite these advancements, Lal stated that he thought it might take longer for electric motorbikes to catch on than for electric scooters, mostly because the former have less market traction than the latter. This pattern is anticipated to persist until lighter, less expensive, and more compact battery technology can be produced.
Lal made hints about impending developments that could be able to help with some of these problems. The Himalayan EV prototype was unveiled by Royal Enfield at the EICMA two-wheeler show in Italy last year, marking a momentous occasion. The goal of this prototype is to provide a platform for testing future electric drivetrains and other parts.
It was previously disclosed that Royal Enfield has achieved significant advancements on two particular projects, L1A and L1K. Being modeled after the Flying Flea, a lightweight motorcycle that was once employed by the British Army in World War II, the L1A is anticipated to be among the lightest vehicle architectures.
To work together on the development of electric models, Eicher Motors made a calculated strategic acquisition of roughly a 10% of Stark Future, a Spanish manufacturer of high-performance electric motorbikes. With plans to expand to a new factory in Cheyyar, Royal Enfield intends to first manufacture its electric vehicles at its current location.
