Electric bikes in India soon? Yamaha evaluating possibilities

Japanese auto major Yamaha is conducting a feasibility study to evaluate possibility of launching electric two-wheelers in India, a top company executive said.

The company, which sells a range of bikes and scooters in the country, may also look at investing opportunities for power units and batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).

"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," Yamaha Motor Research and Development India MD Yasuo Ishihara told PTI.

Through the study, the company is also planning to assess if EVs could completely replace models that are run on internal combustion engines.

"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," Ishihara said.

In order to safeguard its position in the country, the company also plans to continue with the development of traditional internal combustion engines.

"We have already started our feasibility study in order to achieve this target set by the government of India but at the same time we will continue to develop more highly efficient engines in order to cater to the demands of Indian customers," Ishihara said.

When asked about company's investment plans in the EV space, he said: "Investment shall mainly be for power units and batteries. Infrastructure development in collaboration with some partners may be another area where we would look forward to make our investments".

With alarming rise in air pollution, the government is pushing for electric mobility in the country.

According to a report by government think tank Niti Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute, India's move towards 100 per cent electric vehicles fleet by 2030 could create a $300 billion domestic market for EV batteries.