Yasuo Ishihara, MD of Yamaha Motor Research and Development India has confirmed that the Japanese two wheeler brand, is conducting a feasibility study into the electric two wheeler space in India. Since the company already has such products on sale in other countries, transfer of know-how to India will not be a problem.
Though plans are in place to assess if electric vehicles could be feasible in India, the company is well aware that EVs cannot completely replace models that are running on internal combustion engines.
Yamaha Electric Bike Concept PES2Along with such studies, the two wheeler manufacturer is also planning infrastructure development in collaboration with a partner. Investment into power units and batteries for EVs is also in the planning stage.
In an interview to news agency PTI, Yamaha said – “We are at present conducting a feasibility study in this area (electric two wheelers). Yamaha has an edge in this segment as we already have such products in other countries. Transferring such products to India, it is not so difficult. I believe that the EV products cannot be the complete replacement to the current internal combustion engines. This is the one of the biggest study points.”
Yamaha Electric Bike Concept PED2This news comes a few days after TVS invested in a electric vehicle startup. Not only Yamaha and TVS, almost every two wheeler brand in the country is planning towards an electric future.
India is soon moving towards all electric vehicles by 2030 with the Government of India pushing for electric mobility in the country in view of rising air pollution. In view of these developments, Niti Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute have surmised that this move with 100 percent electric vehicles by 2030 will create a US% 300 billion domestic market for EV batteries.