The last year had a decent number of launches and unveils and we expect 2023 to be no different. While we will be listing out all the expected launches of the entire year in another article, today we will focus our attention to all the launches expected in January. While the first month of the year does not commence with a lot of fanfare, there are four launches to look forward to. Let’s dive into the details.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
One of the biggest launches of the year and of January 2023 is the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. The motorcycle made its debut at Rider Mania last year and is expected to be launched very soon.
While it is based on the same platform as the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 and comes with a 648cc, parallel-twin engine, the Super Meteor takes things a bit higher. It is the first Royal Enfield to sport full-LED lighting for the headlamp and ride on upside-down forks. Now, to further push the appeal of the cruiser-style 650, Royal Enfield is offering the motorcycle with a range of accessories and up to seven colour options.
New colour for Ather 450X
The first launch is expected to come from Ather Energy. While details are scarce, the brand is expected to launch a new colour scheme for the 450X. As teased on its social networks, the electric scooter will get a bright red paint that is contrast to the rather subtle colour options it was available in until now. We also expect this paint to be offered on the lower-spec 450 Plus as well.
But that said, feature or software updates are unlikely on either models. Sources do suggest that there is a smaller, more affordable model from Ather Energy in the works although it won’t be launched soon. When it launches, the scooter will go up against the Ola S1 Air and base model of the TVS iQube.
Matter electric motorcycle
Another entry from the EV space for January is the electric motorcycle from Matter- an Ahemdabad based company. While it is yet to be named, the electric motorcycle stands out from its competition like the Oben Rorr, Revolt RV400 with its Integrated Thermal Management System. This system is an active liquid-cooling technology that ensures optimal battery performance.
What’s even more interesting is that the electric motorcycle comes with a four-speed manual gearbox- something that is unheard of in an electric two-wheeler. While we are yet to see how smoothly it functions, it surely is an interesting feature.Moreover, Matter claims that the electric motorcycle is capable of offering a range of upto 150km and packs in a generous 520Nm of torque from its 10.5kW motor.
The electric motorbike features a streetfighter design and gets modern features such as a bi-functional LED projector headlamp and split-style LED tail lamps. A touch-enabled seven-inch display with 4G connectivity, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Android software is part of the package too. It shows information like speed, gear position, riding mode, navigation, media, and offers call control too. The company is expected to launch the electric motorcycle at the upcoming Auto Expo 2023.
Lastly, there is the Hero Xoom 110. As its name suggests, the scooter will carve its way into the somewhat crowded 110cc segment that already has the Activa, Jupiter and the Maestro 110 too.
However, going by the leaked images of the scooter, the Xoom is a sportier option with aggressive styling and large 12-inch wheels. Underneath, it is likely to come with the same 8bhp and 9Nm-producing engine as the Maestro 110. As for features, it is expected to get a digital cluster with Bluetooth connectivity as standard.
While the launch of this scooter was expected in mid-2022, it got delayed for unknown reasons. However, it is likely to make its debut sometime this month and is expected to be priced around Rs 80,000.
