On Friday, Hero Cycles showcased the innovation leap it has taken in the field of electric bicycle manufacturing and design, through a series of futuristic products at the Auto Expo. The range includes the Straphanger, Essentia Connect and Easy Step.
While the Easy Step, with its foldable body and seven-speed gear, makes it unique to the need of an urban consumer, the Straphanger brings together the joy of pedalling with the help of battery at the right time. The Essentia Connect, on the other hand, transforms the experience of pedalling e-bikes with a maximum speed of 25kph and its rear hub motor of 250W.
The company, which aims to capture 10% share in global electric bicycle manufacturing, recently entered the European market by acquiring German e-bike maker HNF Nicolai. Hero Cycles also has set up a major design and innovation base in the UK through its Global Design Centre in Manchester.
“These products showcased at the Auto Expo are landmark innovation leaps and are set to usher in a new era in the space of urban commuting and adventure biking,” the company said in a statement. In addition to the above-mentioned range, the company also displayed its existing portfolio—the Lectro brand with products like Townmaster, Glide and E Zephyr. It also said it will soon launch e-bikes by HNF Nicolai in the Indian market.
“The growing acceptability of electric vehicles in India has given us an opportunity to engage more towards our vision of capturing 10% share in global electric bicycle manufacturing by 2022. Our focus on bolstering our capacity in research and design innovation as well as in manufacturing to produce truly global e-bikes in India will play a critical role towards that goal,” said Pankaj M Munjal, chairman & managing director, HMC, a Hero Motors Company. The company also displayed business solutions initiated by it to make electric bikes more viable and useful in a country like India.
