Hero Honda today launched new variant of Pleasure. The new pleasure is priced Rs36,950 and will add customers to the company’s sales target of 6lakh units this month. “These launches are part of our strategy to boost sales during the festival season.
Last year during the festival period we sold about five lakh units, this year we are looking to better the mark,” Hero Honda Motors Senior Vice-President (Marketing & Sales) Anil Dua said.
TVS Motor Company has posted 11% growth registering total two wheeler sales of 114,321 units in August 2008 against 102,734 units in the corresponding period of the previous year. During the month, the company’s motorcycle sales posted 13% growth recording 52,304 units in comparison to 46,235 units recorded in August 2007.
Sales witnessed a quantum increase with notable contributions across models including the fuel injected Apache RTR Fi, which the company launched in the month of July 2008. Scooters posted 3% growth recording 25,392 units as against 24,645 units during the same period of the previous year.
Promotional Video of TVS Apache Fi
During the month, the company has roped in the glamorous Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza to be the brand ambassador of it’s Scooty brand. The brand has always strived to bring out the best in young ladies and empower them with independence and self-sufficiency. The company chose to associate with Sania as brand ambassador since she emanates these qualities. As part of the agreement, Sania Mirza will be the face of the brand and will feature in commercials and other aspects of the brand.
Exports continued its upward growth trend, posting an increase of a 51% registering 18,083 units of two wheelers in August 2008 as against 12,006 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Buoyant by the demand of its 750 W electric bike ‘ YO Speed‘, Electrotherm India is planning to introduce a 1000 W version of the e-bike.
According to Avinash Bhandari, Director, Electrotherm India, they prefer to modify existing models. Their Research & Development team keeps updating technologies. The success of the 75 cc model has encouraged them to enter higher segments.
He also added that customers have accepted electric vehicle technology. Electrotherm has sold around 10,000 e-bike units in less than a year.
They have sold more than 50,000 units across the country in 2007. The company also plans to export these bikes. Initially, it will be to neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
TVS recently rolled out the onemillionth Scooty Pep scooterette out of its Mysore plant. While its predecessor, the 60cc TVS Scooty took all of eleven years to accomplish this feat, its four-stroke cousin has managed to reach the mark in six years of production.
The timing of the launch of the Scooty Pep in 2002 could not have been better. Its predecessor, the 60cc two-stroke TVS Scooty, was on the waning side of its life cycle in a market moving rapidly towards 4-stroke machines. Six years down the line, the product has hit the golden mark in automotive production - ten lakh Scooty Peps produced and running errands on Indian roads.
TVS is also going to launch a face lifted scooty in future and has named it Scooty Streak. It will hit the showrooms during the festive season. Along with the scooty streak, TVS plans to launch a new scooter early 2009. TVS scooty streak will be priced around Rs40000. Scooty streak will be the TVS answer to Honda’s Aviator, Suzuki’s access and Kinetic’s flyte.
Rising fuel costs are boosting the Indian E-Bike and e-Scooter market. Supported by subsidies and V.A.T. redemptions by regional governments the Indian sales have grown very quickly. Local manufacturer Hero Electric is investing in new assembly lines and facilities to meet the demand.
But Hero Electric is not merely focusing on the domestic market, it is also working on exporting Electric Vehicles (EVs) to other markets. “We have set up an export team to focus on the markets of Latin America and the Middle East. We are planning to begin exports to Latin America from next year,” revealed Naveen Munjal, CEO of Hero Electric.
“Our target for the current fiscal year is about 70,000 EVs,” said Naveen Munjal. It is planning to sell 125,000 EVs next year. “According to current trends, the Indian EV market could grow to more than 200,000 units in 2009,” estimates Naveen Munjal.
Hero is planning to launch a high speed model within the next three months. Currently, it has eight models comprising four e-scooters and four e-bikes. “We launched our new Optima Plus model in July at a price of INR 31,000 (€ 464).”
Bajaj is now looking to introduce the blade 125cc scooter in US. The Blade 125cc unveiled at the January Delhi Auto expo is powered by a 4 valve, DTSI engine. The US variant of blade 125cc would feature Fuel Injection technology to return better fuel efficieny figure. Americans who have been riding Yamaha’s and Honda‘ scooter might find the Bajaj’s blade an attractive option it will priced very competetively. The success or failure of Bajaj’s Blade will convey a lot. If it succeeds and global crude oil price continues to raise, Americans may have to ride splendours like their Indian counterparts to live.
