Launch Delayed By Two Years
Like all other auto manufacturers, Suzuki is also looking to venture into the electric mobility space in India sooner or later. The company has already started testing a new e-scooter whose design appears to be based on Burgman Street 125. Test mules of this battery-powered scooter have been spied testing on multiple occasions previously.
As per a new report, development of this upcoming electric scooter has been delayed by a couple of years. Earlier, Suzuki Burgman Electric was expected to make its debut in India later this year, but that is no longer the case as launch has been postponed by a couple of years.
Suzuki Burgman Electric Launch Delay – Possible Reasons
In a recent interaction with an online publication, Satoshi Uchida, Company Head, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd, and Devashish Handa, Executive Vice President (Sales, Marketing, & After Sales) SIMPL, revealed that Burgman Electric’s launch is still a couple of years away. According to Suzuki officials, development time of the upcoming electric scooter has been extended thanks to high ambient temperatures in our country.
Another possible reason for this delay could be the fact that Suzuki is still awaiting Government’s policy on battery standardisation. All four major Japanese brands including Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki, have already signed an agreement to standardise swappable batteries and replacement systems for international markets.
A near production-ready prototype of the Burgman battery-powered scooter was first spied back in December 2020 which apparently wore a similar look in comparison to its IC engine-powered counterpart. A test mule of the same was last spotted in March this year. While its shape and silhouette are very similar to conventional scooters, Burgman Electric is expected to feature very unique internal mechanics.
Challenges for E-Scooter Manufacturers
This comes at a time when several battery-powered scooters have been reported to catch fire across India recently. Several prominent brands like Ola Electric, Okinawa and Pure EV are under scanner and have earned a bad name for themselves. It is understandable that other manufacturers and not just Suzuki might extend their launch timeline, putting some extra time and effort into research and development.
Henceforth, EV manufacturers are expected to test batteries and battery management software quite rigorously and improve functioning of their thermal system. Honda too has been testing the Benly E utility scooter in India for some time now to check performance of its removable battery in Indian conditions.
Other Upcoming E-scooters
Many prominent two-wheeler brands have lined up their respective EV offerings for launch in India in coming months. While Honda has confirmed that it will be launching its first e-scooter in the Indian market this fiscal, Hero MotoCorp will be venturing into EV manufacturing and retailing with a separate vertical and a new brand name Vida.
Also, Yamaha recently showcased its first two production-spec battery-powered scooters named E01 and Neo’s in the country. It will be interesting to see if launch timelines of any of these models get affected due to recent events.
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