The Luna electric is expected to derive its design inspiration from the original 2-stroke model
It seems like Kinetic Motors is planning to revive its iconic Luna nameplate to take a shot at the electric vehicle industry. The super affordable and skinny Kinetic Luna moped which looked more like a motorized bicycle (it did have pedals like one) was responsible for putting several Indians on wheels.
The 50 cc two-stroke moped was very easy to ride and returned good fuel economy. After decades of service, the Luna slowly faded into oblivion and Kinetic Group eventually took a sabbatical from two wheeler making by selling its infrastructure to Mahindra Two Wheelers. Kinetic Group now operates an EV subsidiary called as Kinetic Green which specializes in e-rickshaws, golf carts, etc.
Prospects and possible specifications
With the electric two wheeler scene in India bustling with activity in the recent months, Kinetic is reportedly gearing up to return to its two wheeler making days. The Kinetic Luna electric moped would be an interesting low-cost proposition with a classic appeal, targeting the numerous license-free low-speed electric scooters in the market.
Financial Express reports that the Kinetic Luna electric is likely to employ a 1 kW electric motor which could be paired to a lithium-ion battery pack as most OEMs are leaving lead-acid battery technology behind. The lightweight electric urban runabout is estimated to have a range of around 80 km and a top-speed of 25 kmph. The reported specifications indicate that one would not require license to ride the new Luna electric.
Design?
As far as design is concerned, the modern day Luna is expected to adopt the typical bare bones moped styling of its ancestor but keeping with the trend, there could be LED lights, digital instrument console, USB port, etc. The electric motor is most likely to be a hub-mounted unit so we don’t expect the moped to feature pedals.
The Kinetic Luna electric is expected to be priced under INR 50,000 (on-road). As of now, the only direct competitor it would have is the Gemopai Miso moped but by the time it is ready, there would be more rivals in the market. In the IC-engined world, TVS continues to sell its highly successful XL100 moped whose electric version could also be in the works.
Kinetic Green will have to set up dealerships across the country in an aggressive manner to maximize the potential of its two wheeler vertical.
