Rumble to whisper: Motorcycle makers begin a quieter, electric journey
India’s two-wheeler manufacturers are shedding doubts about e-motorcycles as Bengaluru-based Ultraviolette launches a new model. Ola Electric has also started delivering its Roadster X. But they will face challenges, and motorbike enthusiasts' love for rumble and thump is just one of them.
Makers of electric motorcycles worldwide are touting stealth and instant power to convert those who swear by the rumble of a V-twin or the thump of a single-cylinder internal combustion engine. India’s two-wheeler manufacturers are also shedding doubts.
On Tuesday, Bengaluru-based Ultraviolette launched a new electric motorcycle in India. This comes four months after Ola Electric Pvt. Ltd began delivering its Roadster X. Last month, Bajaj Auto Ltd announced that it is developing an electric motorcycle, while Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea launch is planned by March.
About 18.81 million two-wheelers were sold in India in the previous 2024-25 fiscal, with motorcycles accounting for 65% of the demand. Electric motorbikes contributed less than 1% of the 1.14 million battery-powered two-wheelers sold during the period.
One of the five top e-scooter makers has an electric motorcycle. In addition to Ola Electric, small startups, including Ultraviolette, Revolt Motors and Matter Motor, offer products.
Hero MotoCorp Ltd, the country’s largest two-wheeler maker, has been working with Zero Motorcycles to develop electric motorbikes. TVS Motor Co. has not yet laid out its plans for one.
As India charts its green energy transition and looks to contain fossil fuel imports, the government is also pushing e-motorycles since these account for the bulk of the two-wheelers sold in India. Mint reported on 1 September that NITI Aayog, the federal policy think tank, is holding stakeholder discussions to increase the production of battery-powered motorbikes.
A silent and premium ride
“Motorcycles come with higher expectations on power, much higher expectations on range. If you look at the use case of a motorcycle, whether it's a commuter or a cruiser or a sports motorcycle," Narayan Subramaniam, chief executive at Ultraviolette, told Mint. “For scooters, which are low-powered, technology existed. However, that is not the case with electric bikes. As power goes up, current goes up, which leads to heating. Solving thermal management issues then became crucial."
As a result, electric motorcycles require more technological research and development.
“Meeting range expectations with electric powertrains requires significant advancements in battery technology, weight optimization, and thermal management. The heavier battery systems needed for motorcycles introduce engineering trade-offs that impact ride quality, safety, and cost structure," said Saket Mehra, partner and automotive industry leader, Grant Thornton Bharat.
“This is beginning to change. Startups such as Raptee Energy are introducing high-voltage platforms that support faster charging and better performance, addressing key technical bottlenecks," said Mehra. “These innovations are making electric motorcycles more viable for everyday use. The segment is also seeing traction in the premium category."
Sill, even Ola Electric, according to its management in the last earnings call on 14 July, expects only about 15-20% of its projected 350,000 sales to come from motorbikes.
“We are scaling up a little more in a calibrated way because it's a new category," Bhavish Aggarwal, chairman and managing director at Ola Electric, said. “We want to make sure manufacturing, quality, warranties, all of those are in check as we scale. And hence our production ramp has been more calibrated and gradual."
Mohal Lalbhai, founder and CEO at electric motorbike maker Matter Motor, said, “Adoption has just begun, and by 2030 we expect e-motorcycles to capture 30–40% of the market, scaling significantly thereafter."
The category, however, is unlikely to appeal to the dominant mass-market buyers. Rural areas make up a large base for lower engine capacity models priced between ₹60,000 and ₹1 lakh.
Up to 150cc motorcycles made up about 81% of total sales in FY25. The largest selling category is 75cc to 110cc segment costing less than ₹80,000, with 5.6 million units sold.
Ola’s Roadster starts at ₹99,999, but most electric motorcycle models start from ₹1.4 lakh. That’s nearly double the average price in the 75cc to 110cc segment. Most electric scooters are largely priced under ₹1 lakh.
Niraj Rajmohan, chief technology officer at Ultraviolette, still expects the demand to soar.
"In terms of electric bikes, there haven't been too many other options because of the technology challenges. And I think that is about to change," Rajmohan told Mint. “Multiple large companies have made announcements. And we're starting to finally see that many companies are starting to make serious options in terms of electric motorcycles available."
Not everyone is on board
Ather Energy, which is developing a tech platform for electric motorbikes, has doubts about whether the market is ready. Even Japanese giant Honda Motor Co. unveiled an electric motorcycle in Europe but has not committed to a launch in India.
“We haven’t seen bike buyers willing to make the switch, and it’s not subsidies holding them back. There’s something else at play. It’s not as simple as saying, ‘Give more subsidies and electric bikes will sell.’" Tarun Mehta, co-founder and chief executive at Ather, told Mint in an interview. “We’re trying to figure that out, and once we have the answer, we’ll be 100% ready with products."
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