Hero Electric, a subsidiary of Hero MotoCorp, has launched the new Photon electric scooter in India at Rs 54,110 (ex-showroom Delhi). With a top speed of 45kmph, the Photon is the fastest electric scooter you can currently buy in India. This means that unlike the other electric scooters sold in the country, you need to have a valid license to ride this scooter and the scooter has to be registered at the RTO, just like its petrol-powered counterparts.
The Photon has an AGM VRLA battery which has been developed keeping the harsh Indian environmental conditions in mind. The multi-stage intelligent charger has built in memory and can regulate the charge based on the battery condition. Other features include front telescopic suspension, anti-theft alarm and miniature circuit breaker for extra safety.
The new Photon is a high speed electric scooter which features two drive modes: Power and Economy, with the former mode allowing the scooter to attain the top speed. The Photon can cover up to 50km on full charge when using Power model and 80km in the economy mode.
The Photon will be available in three paint schemes- vivid burgundy, vanilla white and velvet black. The Photon will be manufactured at the company’s facility in Ludhiana and will be sold in five metro cities across India. To make things easy for its customers, Hero Electric offers easy financing options which will be provided at the dealership level. The company also has a ‘Super Saver Battery Scheme’ which is an easy battery EMI scheme valid within 24 months of the scooter’s purchase.
Schemes like these will definitely help the company sell more electric scooters, though it will take a lot more to encourage customers to look at electric scooters as serious alternatives to petrol-powered scooters. While the driving range has been taken care of to some extent in the Photon, the lack of infrastructure to properly utilise these scooters is one of the biggest problems faced by manufacturers. The government will have to introduce subsidies for electric vehicles as well as invest in improving the infrastructure to bring them on par with petrol-powered scooters.
Speaking about the Photon and their strategy, Mr. Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric said, “Hero Electric has continued innovating and developing remarkable products for the EV market in India. There is a lot of potential in India and we are ready for the EV invasion. Keeping in mind the varied needs of customers, it has been our constant endeavour to innovate in the e-two wheeler category, strengthening the trust of our valued customers. We are confident that the new Hero Electric High Speed Photon will further augment our growth in the EV segment.”
