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Electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy on Friday announced expansion of its product offering in Sri Lanka, which has become a growing international market for it. The company, which entered the island nation in December 2024, said it launched its family scooter Rizta in Sri Lanka at the Colombo Motor Show 2025 in partnership with Evolution Auto Pvt. Ltd, its authorised distributor in the country. It marks the next step in Ather's international growth strategy, focused on expanding its product portfolio and strengthening its ecosystem in key international markets, Ather Energy said in a regulatory filing. "Since entering Sri Lanka last year, it has quickly become a growing market for us, and expanding our portfolio here with the Rizta felt like the natural next step," Ather Energy Chief Business Officer Ravneet Singh Phokela said. Stating that the Rizta has seen strong acceptance in India for over a year and more recently in Nepal, he said, "We believe it is well-suited for the ne
Motorcycle maker Royal Enfield, part of Eicher Motors Group, will start the global commercial roll-out of its electric bikes under the Flying Flea brand from next year, a top company official said on Tuesday. The company, which showcased its second electric bike Flying Flea S6 here at the global two-wheeler exhibition EICMA, is working to create the market for its electric bike and grow the category over a period of time, Eicher Motors Ltd Managing Director and Royal Enfield CEO B Govindarajan told PTI Videos here. "We will be into the market in 2026, first starting with Flying Flea C6, followed by (Flying Flea) S6," he said, in reply to a question about when Royal Enfield's electric bikes will hit the market. When asked about the timeline for India's launch, Govindarajan said, "Once it's done in Europe, it will follow within a short window in India". On how the company sees the contribution of the electric bikes to its overall sales, he said that at present, the company's focus is
Two-wheeler sales in India are estimated to grow by 6-9 per cent in FY26 as compared to the previous fiscal, riding on the recent GST rate reduction, which is anticipated to support affordability and stimulate demand, besides steady replacement demand, urban recovery and healthy rural incomes driven by a normal monsoon, ratings agency ICRA said on Tuesday. Domestic wholesale volumes grew by 7.2 per cent on a YoY basis in August 2025 to 18 lakh units, as OEMs maintained healthy dispatches ahead of the festive season, ICRA said in a statement. Retail sales, however, grew by a marginal 2.2 per cent YoY, with growth constrained by excess rains and some purchase deferment linked to the GST rate cut; a pick-up is expected during the upcoming festive season, it added. ICRA further said it estimates two-wheeler domestic volumes to grow by 6-9 per cent YoY in FY2026. "This projection is supported by steady replacement demand, an expected urban demand recovery, healthy rural incomes driven
Geneva-based global road safety body International Road Federation (IRF) on Wednesday demanded a reduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on helmets for two-wheeler riders from 18 per cent to nil to encourage vehicle owners to wear helmets and reduce fatalities. IRF in a statement expressed concern at increase in number of road accidents in the country as per latest data compiled by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) riders of two wheelers had the highest share of road deaths. IRF has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reduce GST on helmets from the present 18 per cent to 0 (zero) per cent, as the two-wheeler riders, being most vulnerable, account for about 31 per cent of deaths due to head injuries. "One of the most effective measures to reduce the two-wheeler accident injuries and fatalities is the use of standard helmets, IRF president emeritus K K Kapila said. Kapila said the helmet usage in India has been found to be low. "It has been noticed that
Lowering of GST on two-wheelers will serve as a crucial enabler, offering much-needed relief to first-time buyers, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, where it is the backbone of personal mobility, Hero MotoCorp Pawan Munjal said on Monday. Ahead of the meeting of the GST Council this week, Munjal said the two-wheeler industry is not only a key driver of mobility but also a vital pillar of the national economy, contributing substantially to government revenues and generating employment across its value chain. Welcoming the government's decision for GST reforms and a possible cut in GST rates on two-wheelers, in a statement, he said, "This progressive step will serve as a crucial enabler, offering much-needed relief to first-time buyers, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, where two-wheelers remain the backbone of personal mobility. It will significantly enhance accessibility and affordability for millions of Indians." He further said the two-wheeler industry is not onl