New Delhi: Greaves Electric Mobility (GEM), the electric vehicle division of Greaves Cotton, is set to intensify its Indian electric two-wheeler market with the forthcoming Ampere 6th Generation electric scooter. The new model, scheduled to be launched in FY27, the company calls an “ICE Breaker” and is meant to disrupt the dominance of petrol scooters in the high-volume segment of less than 1 lakh.
The announcement is given when the company is gaining momentum in the EV space. Greaves Electric Mobility has recently announced that its Ampere brand is selling units very well, and it plans to work on increasing the uptake of the electric scooter by delivering a range of products to customers that are comparable in performance and stability to traditional petrol scooters but also make it much more affordable to own.
Focus on engineering and customer value
Ampere EVs Aim to Disrupt Sub-₹1 Lakh Scooter Market
In a conversation about how the company Ampere scooters have been developed, the managing director Vikas Singh remarked that the company has always emphasised good engineering and customer value. Ampere Nexus was one of the examples of this strategy that he pointed out.
Singh says that the Nexus is designed to be durable and rider friendly. The scooter has a dual-frame suspension, high-tensile steel frame and mid-mounted motor that is aimed at enhancing balance and stability. He claimed that the model has gone through a lot of testing prior to it getting to the customers.
Singh also said that Nexus is already an important product in the company. Greaves Electric Mobility is now expected to create awareness and spread its presence so that more customers will get an opportunity to enjoy the model.
Targeting the value-driven mass market
Greaves Electric Mobility feels that the lower price range of less than 1 lakh is the key to the growth of EVs in India. According to Singh, the majority of two-wheeler purchasers in the nation are in this segment of value, and therefore, manufacturers of EVs should provide powerful products at low costs.
He described how the Ampere brand of the company already is well represented in this category. As the next generation of scooters comes, the firm will enhance the features and the general performance of the scooters such that the electric scooters will be seen as a direct extension of the petrol scooters.
Another factor that is contributing to the shift is cost of ownership. Singh claimed that EV scooters would be able to cost about 40 per cent of the cost of petrol scooters to operate in the long term because of reduced fuel and maintenance costs.
Real-world performance testing
Another point that was brought up by Singh was the practical experiment that had been done with Ampere scooters to prove their ability. The Ampere Nexus climbing Shipki La Pass at 13,200 feet, which was almost near to the India-China borders, was one of the most notable tests.
The road has severe gradients and very poor conditions. Singh said that the scooter managed to overcome the climb easily even in temperatures below the freezing point and rough roadways.
The other test was done at Kolli Hills in Tamil Nadu, a path which has 70 sharp hairpin turns. The Nexus also took less than 22 minutes to gain an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet, which proves the torque and climbing capabilities of the scooter.
Addressing battery and reliability concerns
Reliability and battery life are also critical factors to a lot of first-time EV buyers. To solve these problems, Singh claimed that Greaves Electric Mobility resorted to the application of lithium-ferrophosphate (LFP) batteries on its Ampere routes.
He added that the LFP batteries are more chemically stable than the NMC batteries that are employed by some of the competitors. The temperature within which the batteries can work is between minus 40 degrees Celsius and plus 60 degrees Celsius.
Singh also said that the battery packs provide approximately 2,000 charge cycles, and this is normally longer than the life of the scooter itself. The company is also looking into more capacity gains with the aim of expanding range and performance.
Greaves Electric Mobility intends to fast track the replacement of petrol scooters with electric scooters with the Ampere 6th generation scooter in India. With the emphasis on the affordability, durability, and practical performance, the company feels that it can persuade more mass-market consumers to transition to electric mobility.
Observers in the industry believe that the new model will be relevant in growing EVs in India because it is likely to achieve its promise of delivering affordable and high-quality products in the two-wheeler market that is sensitive to prices.