 "Hero MotoCorp to foray into European market with EV range next year")
The world's leading two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp on Tuesday said it will foray into the European market with its electric scooter range next year.
The company plans to introduce the VIDA V1 electric scooter range in Spain, France and the UK by mid-2024.
"With this foray into Europe with our electric vehicles, I am confident that Hero MotoCorp will soon emerge as a trusted brand in key markets in the region, just as it has done in other parts of the world," Hero MotoCorp Executive Chairman Pawan Munjal said at EICMA motor show here.
The company's philosophy to have a clean, equitable and hospitable planet for future generations is enacted through its products, and services, he added.
Hero MotoCorp CEO Niranjan Gupta said the company is collaborating with credible partners in the UK, Spain, and France to start commercial operations in each of these markets by mid 2024.
"We will first introduce our electric scooter VIDA V1 in these countries and then expand our offerings with high-capacity premium ICE motorcycles and scooters, which are showcased here," he noted.
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With expertise in providing high-quality personal mobility solutions at accessible prices, the company is confident that the new range of products will be appreciated by customers across geographies, Gupta said.
The VIDA V1 will be the first product to enter multiple European markets, starting with Spain and France.
Simultaneously, the company will also commence operations in the United Kingdom.
Hero MotoCorp will start the commercial operations here towards the middle of the calendar year 2024.
In due course, it will also start to bring its premium range of ICE motorcycles and scooters to these countries.
Hero MotoCorp said it has identified distributors for each of these countries and is in process to finalise the commercial agreements.
In UK Motogb will be the company's distributor. In France, GD France will be its distributor.
Noria Motos, subsidiary of the Onex group, will be Hero MotoCorp's distributor in Spain.
The company unveiled two new internal combustion engine (ICE) scooters -- the Xoom 125R and the Xoom 160 -- at the show.
Both scooters will enter multiple geographies soon, it added.
The company also unveiled the VIDA V1 Pro for Europe and UK markets.
The VIDA V1 is the company's first e-scooter, launched under its emerging mobility brand VIDA.
Hero MotoCorp had forayed into the electric segment under VIDA brand in October 2022.
The company rolls out the electric scooter range from its Chittoor-based plant in Andhra Pradesh.
Hero MotoCorp also showcased a comprehensive portfolio of high-capacity premium motorcycles by unveiling the Concept 2.5R XTunt which is a new category for the company.
It also unveiled two EV concepts the Lynx and Acro.
Both these products are a completely new take on urban mobility and have been developed at the company's European R&D hub the Tech Center Germany, near Munich.