NEW DELHI - Indian motorcycle maker Hero MotoCorp launched its first electric scooter worldwide on Friday, as it looks to catch up with newer businesses that have taken the lead in the country's clean mobility push.
The prices will start at 145,000 rupees $1,761. 74 for the company's Vida Plus model - higher than most electric scooters in India - but it will have a minimum range of 143 km on a single charge, among the highest in India.
Like many legacy automakers in India, Hero Motocorp has become a laggard in electric two-wheelers, where start-ups such as Ather Energy and Softbank Group-backed Ola Electric have gained first-mover advantage.
The company will start taking bookings on October 10 and deliveries will begin in December.
In India, electric vehicles account for 2 per cent of total two-wheeler sales, but sales are accelerating as people move away from gasoline scooters due to rising fuel prices.
India wants electric models to account for 70 per cent of total two-wheeler sales by the year 2030.
In January, Hero MotoCorp said it would invest $51 million in electric vehicle start-up Ather Energy in an effort to expand in the green mobility sector.