Are Electric Bikes Getting Irrelevant in India? Revolt RV400

The EV revolution is supposed to electrify all public and private mobility in India, but as of now, it seems to be serving electric scooters only. Because looking at the category wise YoY and MoM growth of battery operated vehicles (BOV), the electric scooter segment has shown the highest growth, followed by e-rickshaws. In contrast, electric cars and bikes are growing comparatively very slowly.

Among all the developments, a noticeable one is the growth of electric motorcycles. Competition-wise, there are very few companies that cater to electric motorcycles, but in contrast, the e-scooter market has become so saturated that if you throw 10 rocks randomly, 9 of them will hit an E-scooter company founders.

Why are there very few electric motorcycles on the roads? Why is there such a massive disparity in the market? Let’s try to understand the whole scenario and answer this question through this blog post.

Growth of EVs in 2 Wheeler segment:

Every kind of vehicle has its disadvantages. IC engine vehicles have running costs and pollution issues, and electric vehicles have significant issues like range anxiety and charging time. But each has some kind of triple point* where it is best suited. For IC vehicles, it’s economical cars; for BOVs, it’s electric 2-wheelers. Due to their economic viability, greater scope of range, and less dead weight carrying compulsions, the model fits best for EVs.

Also Read: Ather Rizta launched Here’re the Highlights of E-Scooter

“If so, then how come electric scooters outperform electric bikes in the Market?” you may ask. A simple answer to this question is “Comfortability.” Today’s electric scooters are simply more comfortable, futuristic, and user-friendly than electric motorcycles. Today, an electric scooter would give me under-seat storage, a comfy seat, better range, fast charging, Google Maps, and a touch screen at a similar price point as an electric bike. So, overpaying for a relegated product makes no sense; thus, it doesn’t work for a price-constrained market like India.

Electric Bikes have Zero scope in India?

Are you still with us? You have a great attention span. So, until now, we understood that electric bikes are more costly and have fewer features, and that’s why they are a bad choice compared to electric scooters. But if so, the same trend should’ve been followed in the petrol bike market as well, right? Well, not exactly. Here’s why: In the petrol 2-wheeler market, the scooter offers fewer features yet is more costly than the bike, and that’s why bikes dominate in the petrol vehicle segment.

Scope of Motorcycles in the EV market:

A statement from Tarun Mahta, the CEO of Ather Energy, in an interview explains the existence of electric Motorcycles in the future.

According to him, only high-performance electric motorcycles will work in the future as people buy a vehicle for a reason other than riding it, i.e., as a status symbol.

View the full video here:

Condition of Top Electric Motorcycle Makers

Currently, the e-motorcycle market is dominated by none other than the Revolt RV 400, next to Tork Motors. Being an electric motorcycle owner, I can explain my experience of owning one.

Having a motorcycle was definitely a big challenge because my parents couldn’t sit comfortably. Even carrying 1kg of apple would become a somewhat challenging task. And to be honest, I recently booked an Ola S1X 4kWh variant. I will be sharing my experience later.

How are the E-Motorcycle companies performing

Looking at the growth, the overall market is growing but didn’t show an explosive growth rate like the E-scooter market and the companies will have to struggle to grow in future.

Conclusion:

Electric scooters currently dominate the electric two-wheeler market in India due to their affordability, comfortable design, and practicality for short commutes. While electric motorcycles hold potential, particularly in the high-performance segment, their higher cost, lack of passenger comfort, and limited model options currently hinder widespread adoption. As battery technology improves and manufacturers prioritize user-centric design, electric motorcycles may carve a niche in the Indian EV market, catering to enthusiasts seeking powerful and stylish electric rides. However, for the foreseeable future, electric scooters are likely to remain the dominant force in India’s electric two-wheeler revolution.

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