Start-ups rush to join electric two-wheeler race as big boys wait

These start-ups are collectively putting in over $500 million to design and make electric two-wheelers and create the charging infrastructure to make EVs a reality

It could have been the best of times for two-wheelers. After all, India has grabbed the top slot from China recently as the largest manufacturer of conventional internal combustion engine sp(ICE)-powered two-wheelers.

But there is some worrisome news. The market is quickly changing, and electric two-wheelers powered by lithium-ion batteries, which will substantially reduce emissions, are increasingly catching the fancy of consumers. Governments are also offering sops to make them popular and cheaper.  

And here, China dominates the market globally. India is a very insignificant player. Last year, China produced 26 million electric two-wheelers compared to a mere 0.1 million