Many months back, we were stunned by a great looking mid-size naked with 48 kW on tap and a 170 kph capability. Then they disappeared, flying under the radar. Now, they are back, and this week, we sat down with Silvio Rotilli, the CEO of Auper Motorcycles, to check what they have been up to.
This is my most important letter to date and until next week. We are making many changes to InsightEV, enhancing our research offerings, increasing our frequency and coverage, and bringing more value to you.
For all non-fans, sushis are the same - a handcrafted roll with a trinket of fish, a sliver of vegetables, short-grain rice, and seaweed. But they are not. Each has a strong character and an unmistakable identity; you remember some more than others. Clubbing them together is a cardinal sin.
26-Mar-25: Honda has an electric motorcycle...sort of. Is Zapp Electric to get delisted? Ola Electric coughs up supplier dues. Argentina extends ABS by six months
Europeans colonized the world long ago, and their cultural influence still reverberates. In the automotive sense, the continent is the hotspot of automotive design and chassis engineering. But something is amiss lately. China's rise is making Europe irrelevant.
Yesterday, India-based Ultraviolette revealed two upcoming products - Tesseract and Shockwave - and drew a roadmap for its intended future lineup. We see not just the new products, but also a startup willing to embark on a new business strategy, bits and pieces of which make us uncomfortable.
There are not too many publicly traded E2W and electric light mobility players. The ones that are have mostly been struggling. We last checked their health eight months back. Now, we check on them again and realize that things have taken a downturn for the worse.
At yesterday's court hearing, KTM creditors have accepted a restructuring plan proposed by the board. As part of the plan, nearly EUR 548m would be received by the creditors by end-May. India-based Bajaj Auto is bringing some of the money but there remains a larger investor yet to be named.
The company's overall revenue were down amidst slowly increasing battery swapping revenues getting pulverised by steadily declining scooter sales. A worsening product mix and an enhanced focus on commercial energy storage opportunities were some key takeaways from the annual results.
The Europe-focused Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) was formed in September 2021 by Honda, Yamaha, KTM, and Piaggio. However, little has moved three years later, and the two Japanese founders have left. Is there a future for SBMC (and battery-swapping consortiums in general)?
Marketing is critical for technology creation. Without taking new tech to the masses, one cannot continue creating. Pathbreaking innovations - from Damon's hyper-optimized monocoques to Verge's Donut motor- often take time to reach the mass level. That limits their impact.
Late-entrant Honda shows no urgency in its India E2W play. Its Go-To-Market is linked with its battery-swapping network rollout. The problem is that three years after the start of the pilot, the Honda e-swap has reached only 1% of the population. Are they serious about India's E2W market?
UBCO was unique, and so was the two-wheel-drive motorcycle that they made. The receivership is a stark reminder of the perils of going too niche in a global E2W market that is yet to mature to create space for small players.
Pierer Mobility AG (KTM) has filed for judicial restructuring, a step away from bankruptcy. Sales is slow, marketshare is down, and they are sitting at manhy months of inventory. In the bigger picture, it indicates how fragile the European two-wheeler industry is.
On the face of it, Royal Enfield, the India-based British heritage ICE brand, should be the last brand to do an electric motorcycle. Yet, here they are with the Flying Flea, and electric motorcycles seem important to them. It is a need, not a luxury
After two continuous years of decline in vehicle sales and revenue, Niu posted a relatively strong 2024 with a 24% improvement in revenue, riding on an increase in volumes in both China and international markets. However, the per unit revenue declined and the gross margin has collapsed.
After two continuous years of decline in vehicle sales and revenue, Niu posted a relatively strong 2024 with a 24% improvement in revenue, riding on an increase in volumes in both China and international markets. However, the per unit revenue declined and the gross margin has collapsed.
Vmoto reports a 32.5% dip in vehicle sales in FY 2024 and a 15.2% revenue decline. This was a year of major restructuring and expansion at the company as they head to an ASX delisting. However, the notice from a minority shareholder is a significant concern.
A net income of USD 32.5 million took us by surprise, considering that this is a company that is not yet making any significant revenue, if at all. In the end, the financial statement reveals less and hides more.
The company's overall revenue were down amidst slowly increasing battery swapping revenues getting pulverised by steadily declining scooter sales. A worsening product mix and an enhanced focus on commercial energy storage opportunities were some key takeaways from the annual results.
Data released by ACEM indicates that the penetration of electric two-wheelers declined for the first time since 2019.
Daily News Impact 01-Apr-25: The Indian E2W market hit an all-time high in Mar 2025 - Everyone had a great month except Ola Electric; Yamaha buys Brose e-bike drive unit;
Daily News Impact 31-Mar-25: Honda has announced the commencement of production of the ICON e: electric scooter in Vietnam. This is an important event - a global manufacturer starting local manufacturing of an electric scooter in one of the hottest E2W markets in the world.
Many months back, we were stunned by a great looking mid-size naked with 48 kW on tap and a 170 kph capability. Then they disappeared, flying under the radar. Now, they are back, and this week, we sat down with Silvio Rotilli, the CEO of Auper Motorcycles, to check what they have been up to.
Daily News Impact 01-Apr-25: The Indian E2W market hit an all-time high in Mar 2025 - Everyone had a great month except Ola Electric; Yamaha buys Brose e-bike drive unit;
Daily News Impact 31-Mar-25: Honda has announced the commencement of production of the ICON e: electric scooter in Vietnam. This is an important event - a global manufacturer starting local manufacturing of an electric scooter in one of the hottest E2W markets in the world.
This is my most important letter to date and until next week. We are making many changes to InsightEV, enhancing our research offerings, increasing our frequency and coverage, and bringing more value to you.
For all non-fans, sushis are the same - a handcrafted roll with a trinket of fish, a sliver of vegetables, short-grain rice, and seaweed. But they are not. Each has a strong character and an unmistakable identity; you remember some more than others. Clubbing them together is a cardinal sin.
26-Mar-25: Honda has an electric motorcycle...sort of. Is Zapp Electric to get delisted? Ola Electric coughs up supplier dues. Argentina extends ABS by six months
What will make an electric scooter go faster and longer? The motor and the pack are Jell-O: poke at one end, and the other gets distended; one can either solve for speed or range. But weight is magical - lower that, and everything improves. However, tubular construction has limits.
The African market is fast becoming the global hotspot for new products and entrants. If you build a good sports utility motorcycle for Africa, you can do so for the world. This week, we sat down with Michael Spencer of Zeno, who is weeks away from launching their first electric motorcycle.
If going electric has to enable mobility for the masses, there is no stronger fit than Africa, where millions of Bodas (bike taxis) would benefit immensely from electrification. We recently spoke with Michael Spencer of Zeno, the much-in-buzz Bengaluru-San Jose-Nairobi-based startup.
After two continuous years of decline in vehicle sales and revenue, Niu posted a relatively strong 2024 with a 24% improvement in revenue, riding on an increase in volumes in both China and international markets. However, the per unit revenue declined and the gross margin has collapsed.
The KTM crisis has again highlighted the continent's high-cost underbelly. It's even more challenging if you are a startup planning to make electric commuter scooters. Mass manufacturing may not be in Europe's future, but boutique players like Colibri certainly have one.
Europeans colonized the world long ago, and their cultural influence still reverberates. In the automotive sense, the continent is the hotspot of automotive design and chassis engineering. But something is amiss lately. China's rise is making Europe irrelevant.
