Bajaj Urbanite Electric 2-Wheeler to Launch in India by 2020

Bajaj Auto has been making it to the news ever since they partnered up with Triumph Motorcycles from the UK. The partnership aimed at developing new mid-capacity bikes that are sold both in the domestic and international markets. It also opened up countless opportunities for both the companies as it opened up a new category to capture a new clientele. Bajaj had plans to launch an all-new brand, Urbanite, marking the company’s venture into the world of electric vehicles but it was all information in the air until now. The company has confirmed its plans to bring the new business unit to the markets.

The Urbanite Business Unit will be dedicated entirely to creating electric vehicles in addition to their existing Motorcycle Business Unit, Intra-city Business Unit, Export Business Unit, and Probiking Business Unit. This new division will be headed by Mr Sumeet Narang, who will be the person in charge of spearheading the company’s presence in the world of electric motorcycles and scooters. The head of the Probiking Business Unit, Amit Nandi, will be assisting him for the financial year 2019.

Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto said, “Urban electric mobility is an area which is risky because not many companies have ventured there so far but it is even riskier not to be there. There I can definitely confirm that in addition to the electric work we do on three-wheeler and four-wheeler we are working very strongly on electric two-wheelers. It could be an electric motorcycle as we are a motorcycle company. It could be an electric scooter”, leaving the trail of thought incomplete and the public in suspense of what is to come. Elaborating on the aesthetics of the upcoming products, he said, “People are not buying Tesla because of its batteries, they buy because it is beautiful. So our way to approach electric mobility is not to make a battery on two-wheels (but) it is to make the most beautiful two-wheeler in the world.”

The comments of the Managing Director have confirmed their venture into electric vehicles and their product will be a direct rival to Hero, who had already ventured into the electric space years ago. The thing that will set the Bajaj e-motorcycles apart will be the looks, which will be a lot more interesting than the basic ones that Hero has been making. The target of the company is to put the first Urbanite within the next year and a half and even if it gets delayed, it will be available for sure before the kicking in of the BS VI emission norms in 2020.