With Yamaha India’s launch of the EC-06 last week – priced Rs 1,67,600 and a range of 169 km – the era of electric holdouts amongst legacy two-wheeler players has ended. Now, every member of India’s Big Six – Hero, Honda, TVS, Bajaj, Suzuki, and Yamaha – has an EV in its portfolio.
But Yamaha has entered a landscape that shifted seismically over the last year. In 2025, the industry witnessed a reversal where established giants finally toppled the startups that once defined the segment.
What’s under the seat of EC-06?
Co-developed with Bengaluru-based startup River Mobility, the EC-06 combines traditional reliability with evolving tech.
It delivers a top speed of 79 km/h, maximum torque of 26 Nm, and peak power of 6.7 kW. It’s equipped with a 4-kWh fixed battery, and a full charge takes about 8 hours via standard home plug-in compatibility. It also offers 24.5 litres of under-seat storage and is equipped with 200-mm front and rear disc brakes paired with a combi brake system (CBS) for enhanced stability. Its LCD display manages three riding modes – Eco, Standard, and Power – plus a Reverse Mode for tight parking.
The fall of the upstart
In 2025, the industry’s most prominent ‘startup’ arguably turned into an ‘upstart’. Sales of Ola Electric plummeted by nearly half, dropping to 198,690 units from the previous year’s 400,000.
Meanwhile, the top two positions were seized by legacy players who used their manufacturing muscle to outpace the disruptors – TVS led with 298,150 units, and Bajaj at close second with 269,233 units.
Back in 2021, Ola’s founder Bhavish Aggarwal famously argued for the abolition of petrol two-wheelers by 2025. Instead, 2025 became the year Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj’s ‘upstart’ label stuck – a term he used to describe new entrants relying on a ‘burn strategy’ rather than sustainable ‘brand building.’
The legacy advantage
The EC-06 mirrors the technical leap seen in the TVS iQube and Bajaj Chetak. When the iQube launched in 2020, it offered a meagre 75-km range; today, its top-end variants exceed 150 km. This evolution, paired with vast dealer networks and experience centres even in small towns, has allowed the old guard to reclaim the narrative of ‘peace of mind’.
At the fourth position in 2025 was Ather Energy, selling 200,110 units. Ather’s growth remained rooted in solid engineering; the Rizta family scooter expanded its appeal to the masses with its spacious design.
Meanwhile, Hero MotoCorp’s Vida – a slow starter in 2022 – finally found momentum. Following the July 2025 launch of the VX2, which featured a removable battery and a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) scheme, Vida’s monthly sales jumped from an average of 5,567 to 12,567 units. By delinking battery costs, Hero brought the upfront price of the VX2 to under Rs 50,000, effectively democratising the premium EV.
A Royal exception
With Yamaha’s EC-06 now in Blue Square showrooms, only one iconic name remains in the pre-launch phase: Royal Enfield. While the brand officially launched its Flying Flea EV sub-brand at EICMA 2024, and the retro-futuristic C6 model has been unveiled, customers must wait until later this year for actual deliveries.
The grid is almost full, and the ‘final spark’ from Yamaha suggests that the battle for India’s roads is no longer about who is electric, but who is reliable.
