TVS Motor Company, the Chennai based leading two-wheeler maker, said on Thursday that it is planning to re-enter the Indian electric scooter market. The company is planning to launch some of its existing and new electric scooter models in the country by next financial year. According to industry reports, TVS is carrying out tests for as many as 50 of its electric scooters across various Indian cities and towns. These new TVS models will be rolled-out from company’s Mysore facility.
Speaking to the reporters in the National Capital, TVS Motor Company President (Marketing) H S Goindi said, "We are working on introducing electric scooters and these are being experimented for the launch. By sometime next fiscal, it will come (to the market)." He added, "We will launch only scooters in electric mode. The products will initially run on lead acid batteries and later we may develop some other technology also.”
In April 2008, TVS had launched an electric scooter - 'Scooty Teenz Electric' – with aims of selling more than 40,000 units per annum. But after receiving a moderate response from the market, the company stopped its production in year 2009. However, the company has shelved the plan of rolling-out electric three-wheelers as there is hardly any market for such products.
