Among a slew of two-wheelers that Hero MotoCorp revealed today, it has also unveiled the pre-production model of its scooter, the Leap. First revealed as a prototype at the 2012 Auto Expo, the Leap is an electric-serial-hybrid scooter.
Powered by an 8kW electric motor, it will be fuelled by electricity stored in lithium-ion batteries. Electric motors have a reputation of being very torquey and this Permanent magnet AC (PMAC) motor is no different. It might be low on power, but produces 60Nm of torque, which is huge considering the size of the scooter.
The working of the Leap will be similar to the Fisker Karma where, though the car does have a petrol motor, it is never used to power the wheels directly. In the Leap’s case, the scooter has a ‘range extender – anon-board generator set’. It involves an extremely efficient 124cc engine which can use petrol from a 3-litre fuel tank to generate electricity. This electricity is diverted to recharge the batteries. The petrol motor can extend the range of the scooter by upto four times than that of the battery, which can also be recharged by plugging the scooter into a wall outlet.
When running on the range extender, the Leap will be capable of touching 100kmph. And when it needs to stop, the Brembo 240mm twin-piston disc brake at the front will stop it effectively. The Leap features an all-LED lighting system, giving us a glimpse of Hero’s intentions for its future models.
Stay tuned for more information on Hero’s other bike launches.
