BSA electric scooters – 5 new BSA eScooters

BSA Motors has launched five models of BSA electric scooters aimed at young people in the age group of between 14 and 30 years. All of which are going to lose a lot of sales, thank you very much, due to the company not having a proper website.

People like me – the automobile bloggers – are going to get all the traffic that should ideally be going to the BSA Motors website. Good for us, bad for BSA.

Where the hell is your official website?

BSA Motors seem to be part of TI Cycles, which itself is part of the Murugappa Group. See, there is potential for three websites there which can give you details of the new model launches but NO! Its almost like the company is issuing a challenge to potential buyers – let’s see how difficult we can make it for you to find some info about our new scooters! BWAHAHAHA!!

Can you imagine? this is a company that launches 5 new electric scooter models in a single day, sends out press releases and wide ranging coverage in the Indian media. I don’t know which pothole this company exists in – but there is surely no internet access where they are based, or the company is run by people above the age of 50 who do not know what the internet is.

Oh wait. That is an insult to all the smart 50-year olds in India. I apologise. I now think the company is run by the Burmese military junta, in some mosquito-infested Burmese jungle; they built the electric scooters there, and then elephants carry them to the big cities for India-wide distribution.

All those who come to know about the electric scooter models will now try to find out about the dealers. Nowadays, people know how to check for the dealers’ addresses on the Net – and they will come across sites and pages such as this. Very nice job, BSA. Thank you for the extra traffic.

Now, to the story.

Boring business info

The eScooters manufactured at BSA Motors’ new plant at Ambattur in Chennai has been made on an investment of Rs 200 million for the first phase. The Ambattur plant has an initial production capacity of 150 eScooters a day which can be ramped up to 300 units per day as and when required. The first batch of eScooters were rolled out from Chennai on November 10, 2008.

BSA Motors said that actress Tamannah will be the brand ambassador for BSA eScooters, in its bid to create strong linkage with the target audience of the age group between 14 to 30 years.

The five models of the BSA eScooters which we are going to make fun of are:

BSA Smile

Official description: Competitively priced for the age group of 13 to 18 years; 250 W, top speed of 25kmph. License and registration is not required for riding this eScooter.
Our verdict: The press releases do not tell us the range of this electric scooter. Don’t buy till you know. You may not smile much if it stops on way to the school. On the other hand, if it stops right in front of the school gate and does not proceed further, you may find your enemies smiling very widely!

BSA Diva

Official description: Designed exclusively for girls in the age group of 16 to 20 years; 250 W, top speed of 25kmph. License and registration not required.
Our verdict: Designed exclusively for girls? How do you do that? The design does not permit boys sitting on it? That would be a difficult job to accomplish, I think. Again, no info on range or price.

BSA Street Rider:

Official description: Unisex sportz model from teen to twenties; 250 W, top speed of 25kmph. License and registration not required.
Official description: Apparently, this one can be ridden on the streets while the rest of them were not designed for that purpose.

BSA Roamer:

Official description: For working men and women for the age group of 18 to 25 years; 500 W, top speed of 40kmph, requires license and registration.
Our verdict: Possibly, the dealer would not sell you the Roamer if you are not a working man or woman, or exceeds that age group. The company believes that after 25 years of age, your life force lbegins to leave you, and you do not really need a scooter anymore.

BSA Roamer+

Official description: The family eScooter; 800W, top speed of 45kmph, requires license and registration
Our verdict: No info on price and range, again. The engine is the most powerful in the Roamer+ – 300 Watts more than the Roamer. All that extra power translates into 5 kmph extra top speed. Fly like the wind at 45 kmph on this electric scooter carrying your entire family!

Serious news about the new BSA electric scooters continues below…

According to M M Murugappan, Chairman, Tube Investments of India, “We see our entry into the electric two wheeler market as a logical extension of our current business, from bicycles to electric two wheelers. The eScooters is a Rs 450-crore market in India and the industry is expected to double in a year’s time. BSA’s foray into the eScooters category helps us to expand our portfolio in the two-wheeler market”.

The Ambattur plant will have facility for painting, assembly and testing of eScooters. Key parts like motor, controller, battery, lamps, wheel discs, tyres and tubes have been sourced from reputed automotive vendors. The plant is equipped with state-of-the-art technology with comprehensive full vehicle performance testing with a test track, motorized conveyor assembly line with modern assembly tools.

More on electric scooters in India

BSA eScooters have been certified by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to be used in public roads in India. Maintenance free batteries and motors make BSA eScooters 100 per cent trouble free. The BSA eScooters have an efficiency of 82-85 per cent in comparison to petrol run vehicles which has an efficiency of 35-38 per cent.

The company plans to focus more on the south Indian market and would be accessible with wide range of dealership network soon. BSA Motors said it has carried out extensive market research to understand customer preferences in terms of features, colours, graphics and product names. Besides, each eScooter will have four colour options with the exception of Diva which will have five colour options. The unique features of these eScooter models are its protective safety switch, twin passenger foot rest, ergonomically designed seats, great storage space, side reflectors and many more innovative features that are not currently available in the market. Out of the five models, three models are in 250 watts, one in 500 watts and one in 800 watts.