Scooters India mulling electric two wheelers

The marginal automobile player in the PSU space, Scooters India, will jump on to the electric vehicles’ bandwagon, if the buzz is to be believed.

We know it is not done to judge someone prior to the act. However, if one goes by the history of Scooters India, and the fact that it is a PSU, this is a project already doomed. Sorry to say this, reall. Now on to the news.

Scooters India is reportedly planning to make a foray into the electric two-wheeler segment. It has been said that the company is weighing options regarding the expressions of interest by some domestic companies for a possible tie up. The company currently boasts of a high-capacity assembly line and trained manpower which could be used for the  venture which is likely to take off soon. Its assembly line has a capacity of about 3,000 units a month.

Scooters India’s current product range includes cost-effective passenger three-wheelers under the Vikram brand.

The company owns the world rights of the famed Lambretta brand, though it quit two-wheeler production way back in 1997.

It has been reported that Scooters India had earlier this year invited expressions of interest from auto companies for collaboration in the manufacture and marketing of the proposed electric two-wheeler. It also managed to get EoIs from at least eight Indian companies. These EoIs are now being scrutinised by the Scooters India board of directors.

The Lucknow-based company is owned by the government and the Indian government holds 98 per cent in the firm. This makes it mandatory that Union Ministry for Heavy Industries should have its nominee on the board. Scooters India is expected to sell the battery-driven electric two-wheeler through its own dealer network.

It may be recalled that Scooters India was under the purview of Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) in 1996. The company’s Vikram range has several variants running on fossil fuel like petrol and diesel and LPG, CNG and battery. SIL also exports to countries such as Germany, Italy, Sudan, Nigeria, Nepal and Bangladesh and is also engaged in the manufacture of auto components for the overseas market, especially the UK.