High costs, complex R&D hindering ebikes: NITI

Electric motorcycles (ebikes) are struggling to take off in India due to complex research and development (R&D) that drives up costs, the absence of global price-sensitive reference models requiring R&D to start from scratch, technology constraints in meeting consumer expectations on power, speed and range, and legacy brands opting to be fast followers rather than first movers in the segment, according to an analysis done by NITI Aayog.

- DEEPAK PATEL

Electric motorcycle penetration remains negligible despite motorcycles accounting for nearly two-thirds of India's two-wheeler (2W) market, with ebikes contributing barely 0.1 per cent of total sales. In contrast, scooters - making up roughly one-third of the 2W market - have achieved close to 15 per cent electric vehicle (EV) penetration.

Electrification of motorcycles faces several challenges, starting with consumer expectations. Motorcycles in India are strongly associated with high power, higher speeds, and longer riding range, and current electric motorcycle technology is unable to deliver all these attributes simultaneously at a cost comparable to internal combustion engine (ICE) models, according to a NITI Aayog document, which was prepared a few months ago and was recently reviewed by Business Standard.

Technical and economic constraints further complicate the transition, the document said.

"The R&D for motorcycles is much more complex. To provide both high power and range, similar to an ICE vehicle, the batteries need to be bigger and need more space, which is a constraint in motorcycle chassis," it added. This also leads to higher vehicle prices, posing a major hurdle in a market where nearly 65 per cent of motorcycle sales are in the sub-110 cc segment, and buyers are highly price-sensitive.