Name: Hero Electric Photon
Brand: Hero Electric
SKU: 15-1622
Price: 110891 INR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.50 (11 reviews)

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Read user reviews of the Hero Electric Photon bike and know about its ratings, pros, and cons from consumers, experts, and genuine buyers.

The Hero
 Electric Photon is the flagship e-scooter from the brand, offering optimum
 range and performance. It delivers a top speed of 45 km/h and a riding range of
 70-75 km. It goes against the <a href="https://www.autox.com/new-bikes/ola/s1-air/">Ola Electric S1</a> and the <a href="https://www.autox.com/new-bikes/ampere/magnus-ex/">Ampere Magnus EX</a>
 in its segment.

Vikas

nice bike

Ankit Sinha

Pooja Thakur

Ravi Bansal

Shweta Yadav

Harsh Vardhan

Isha Singh

Nikhil Chauhan

Tanvi Jain

Saurabh Bhatt

Ritika Kapoor

Front Brake Type

Wheel Type

Start Type

Mileage

Transmission

Max Power (bhp)

Top Speed

Rear Brake Type

Hero Electric

Hero Electric Photon

I really like this bike mileage and performance.

I use the Hero Electric Photon for my daily commute and it's been super reliable so far.

Was looking for a stylish and reliable option—found it in the Hero Electric Photon.

Beginning tomorrow (June 1), the FAME-II subsidy will experience a large reduction, which will require the majority of EV two-wheeler producers to promptly alter their prices. In the middle of this, Hero Electric, one of the country's leading EV manufacturers, declared that it will&nbsp;not be implementing any price hike across its model range. For those who are unaware, the Indian government recently reduced the FAME II scheme's subsidy for electric two-wheelers, leading to a substantial&nbsp;increase in pricing for the entire segment.&nbsp;Hero Electric, however, asserts that it understands the necessity of supporting buyers during this period of change and&nbsp;is working to keep electric mobility accessible and cheap. Read on to know why the bikemaker has decided not to hike the prices for its model post the&nbsp;Fame II subsidy cut.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/ola-s1-air-electric-scooter-deliveries-to-begin-in-july-confirms-ceo-bhavish-aggarwal-113322/">Ola S1 Air Electric Scooter Deliveries to Begin in July, Confirms CEO Bhavish Aggarwal</a>

<h2>Why Hero Electric Won't Be Implementing a Price Hike?</h2>

Despite the recently reduced FAME II subsidies, Hero Electric has stated that it would not raise the cost of its e-scooter models. The reason behind the step as stated by the automaker&nbsp;is that it remains&nbsp;committed to encouraging the use of electric two-wheelers&nbsp;and addressing misconceptions regarding their ownership costs.

There is no doubt that India is one of the largest&nbsp;two-wheeler markets, and Hero Electric claims that it wants to meet the needs of buyers from all walks of life&nbsp;by offering inexpensive and environmentally friendly mobility options. The EV maker&nbsp;intends to persuade more customers to switch&nbsp;to electric vehicles by maintaining the prices of its line of e-scooters at their current levels.

<h2>The Impact of Fame II Subsidy Cut</h2>

The Ministry of Heavy Industries has cut the FAME-II subsidy, raising the price of electric vehicles. The maximum amount of subsidies available for electric two-wheelers has been decreased from 40% to 15%. Subsidies for electric two-wheelers have been reduced from Rs 15,000 to Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity.&nbsp;For context, the Ather 450X Pro Pack is currently available for Rs 1.28 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru), a reduction of Rs 55,500 from its original price. The subsidy would instead be decreased to Rs 37,000 under the new rules. There will be a comparable outcome for the remaining electric scooters and bikes sold in India.&nbsp;

It is important to note that any two-wheeler must meet the requirements in order to be eligible for the subsidy. These specifications include a minimum range of 80-kilometre, a top speed of at least 40km/h, and a specific&nbsp;level of localisation. Several state governments also give an additional subsidy. But they vary from one state to another.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/industry-news/matter-aera-electric-to-become-expensive-by-rs-30000-from-june-6-heres-why-113412/">Matter Aera Electric to Become Expensive by Rs 30,000 From June 6, Here's Why</a>

<h2>Here's What the Brand Says</h2>

Sharing his thoughts on the company's decision,&nbsp;Sohinder Gill, CEO, of Hero Electric, said,&nbsp;"The sudden and sharp tapering of subsidies does not bode well with the customer and may lead to the drop in the E2W adoption. The industry may still clock higher sales than the last year but may not be able to keep the tempo of the exponential growth and may even fall short of the target of 2.3 million units as projected by Niti Aayog. Despite the extreme financial crunch forced upon us due to subsidies stuck with MHI for over 15 months, we will continue to do our bit in offering affordable mobility solutions to discerning customers by holding on to our current prices till we can."

"In our 15 years of business we have time and again been facing a lot of headwinds from those who do not want "affordable electric mobility' to become a popular choice of the customers, but we know for a fact that a mobility solution that is fundamentally so good for the pocket, good for the country and good for the humanity can never be pushed down indefinitely," he further continued.

&nbsp;

Hero Electric Says 'No Price Hike' Post Fame II Subsidy Cut, Here's Why

Beginning June 1, the FAME-II subsidy will experience a large reduction. In the middle of this, Hero Electric, one of the country's leading EV manufacturers, declared that it will not be implementing any price hike across its model range.

Hero Electric has hinted at the arrival of a new product in the Indian market. The firm has shared the official teaser on its social media accounts ahead of the India launch of a brand-new electric scooter. The auto manufacturer took to the popular microblogging site, Twitter, and shared the update via a post: 'A new era of intelligent and sustainable mobility is all set to dawn! Are you ready to experience the newest electrifying ride from Hero Electric? Watch this space to know more.'&nbsp;It has also released a 12-second teaser video giving us a first look at the electric scooter. 'Presenting a new era of 2W mobility,' it says. However, it is still unclear whether the scooter will be a new model or an updated Hero Optima. The electric scooter is expected to go on&nbsp;sale on March 15.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-xoom-vs-honda-dio-specs-features-prices-and-more-112492/">Hero Xoom vs Honda Dio: Specs, Features, Prices, and More</a>

<h2>New Hero Electric Scooter: Key Details</h2>

The teaser video indicates that the <a href="https://www.autox.com/videos/2023-hero-xoom-110-scooter-review-features-and-other-details-revealed-autox-112372/">electric scooter</a> will have an LED headlight mounted on the front cowl, with LED turn indicators located in the middle. Front disc brakes, curved seats, a thick grab rail, and a blue paint scheme are additional features that the electric scooter is expected to have. According to the tweet, the brand-new scooter may also come equipped with connected technology.

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A new era of intelligent and sustainable mobility is all set to dawn! Are you ready to experience the newest electrifying ride from Hero Electric? Watch this space to know more ????⚡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheSmartMove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheSmartMove</a> <a href="https://t.co/0nH6eSvFkO">pic.twitter.com/0nH6eSvFkO</a>
— Hero Electric (@Hero_Electric) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hero_Electric/status/1634728487461220353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In other news, the firm recently disclosed that it has an agreement in force with US-based Zero Motorcycles to work together on high-end electric motorcycles. The collaboration combines <a href="https://www.autox.com/reviews/bike-reviews/hero-xoom-first-ride-review-gauntlet-thrown-down-112361/">Hero MotoCorp's</a> sizeable manufacturing, sourcing, and marketing capabilities with Zero's expertise in creating powertrains and electric motorcycles.&nbsp;The partnership was established after the board of Hero MotoCorp approved a $60 million equity investment in Zero Motorcycles in September 2022.

Commenting on the development, Pawan Munjal, Chairman &amp; CEO, <a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-xoom-110-launched-in-india-top-highlights-112335/">Hero MotoCorp</a>, said,&nbsp;'Our partnership with Zero Motorcycles is a significant milestone in our journey towards ushering in an era of sustainable clean technology in the mobility space. With Zero as our partner, we look forward to accelerating the transition of electric mobility in India and across our global markets.'&nbsp;

'We are delighted to have Hero MotoCorp – the world’s largest motorcycle maker – as our partner. Our companies are both committed to transforming the riding experience and bringing remarkable, innovative products to the world. With these shared passions, we look forward to delivering exceptional value, performance, and fun for our customers,' remarked&nbsp;Sam Paschel, CEO, Zero Motorcycles.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a data-bind="text: post_title, attr:{href: post_url}" href="https://www.autox.com/reviews/bike-reviews/okinawa-ridge-vs-hero-nyx-comparison/">Okinawa Ridge vs Hero Nyx: Comparison</a>

<h2>Hero Electric: February 2023 Sales Figures</h2>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/reviews/bike-reviews/hero-destini-125-review-first-ride-104695/">Hero Electric</a> sold 5,861 electric scooters in the Indian market in February of this year, which represents a decline in MoM&nbsp;sales for the company, given that it sold 6,393 units in January 2023. Hero Electric has collectively sold 80,954 electric scooters during the current financial year.

As it stands, the government's revocation of the company's FAME II scheme subsidy as a result of the reported fraudulent activities may be the cause of its slowed monthly sales. The electric vehicle manufacturer was accused of&nbsp;purchasing fully assembled cars from China, disassembling them, and selling them to various ports around the nation in order to evade taxes.

New Hero Electric Scooter India Launch on March 15; Check Details Here

Hero Electric teased a new electric scooter on its social media handle recently. The teaser image depicts an electric scooter that appears to be very similar to the Hero Optima. However, it is unclear whether the upcoming electric scooter will be an updated Here Optima or a completely new model.

A total of 76,163 units of sales were registered in November 2022 for two-wheeler EVs. Ola Electric, Okinawa Autotech, and others contributed to the overall sales in the previous month in India.

In November 2022, <a href="https://www.autox.com/new-bikes/ola/">Ola Electric</a> continued to lead the retail sales category. The startup aced the sales chart by shipping&nbsp;16,246 S1 electric scooters. Ola presently has several year-end discounts and incentives available on its goods. This is expected to boost the sales of its vehicles in the coming months too.&nbsp;

Ampere EV occupied the second space in November's retail sales. Sales of their Magnus EX electric scooter were 12,232 units.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/two-wheelers-sales-report-november-2022-111926/">Two-wheelers sales report: November 2022</a>

Okinawa Autotech was on the third spot in the previous month's overall sales list. The company witnessed a decrease in sales with only 9,038 scooters being shipped in November 2022.&nbsp; Hero Electric delivered 9,008 units and thus sealed the fourth spot with its name.&nbsp;

By recording 8,076 registrations for their electric scooter, the iQube,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/new-bikes/tvs/">TVS Motor Company&nbsp;</a>ranked fifth in the previous month's sales chart.&nbsp;Ather Energy ranked sixth on the list&nbsp;by dispatching&nbsp;7,741 units in November 2022.&nbsp;By selling 2,987 units of the Bajaj Chetak in the previous month, Bajaj Auto saw a decline in the sales of electric scooters. Jitendra EV and Pure Energy were some of the other names that were a part of the November 2022 overall sales list.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/car-sales-report-november-2022-111927/">Car Sales Report: November 2022</a>

In India, it is expected that electric mobility will tighten its grip on the automobile sector with more manufacturers coming up with feature-rich EVs in the market. How EVs will mark an end to this year's retail sales is something only time will tell.&nbsp;

Two-wheeler EV Sales in November 2022; Ola Electric Tops the List, Ampere Electric Second

Ola Electric holds the top spot in the previous month's two-wheeler sales chart by selling 16,246 units. The second spot was taken by Ampere Electric which sold 12,232 units in November.

<a href="https://www.autox.com/new-bikes/hero-electric/">Hero Electric </a>released an official statement of partnership with&nbsp;NIDEC Japan&nbsp;in Tokyo on the&nbsp;sidelines of the IEB Autotech2022. The Indian company has tied up with&nbsp;NIDEC Japan to utilize its electric motors on their vehicles from February 2023. As per the statement,&nbsp;NIDEC’s E-motors will be installed in&nbsp;Hero’s city speed range of E-bikes.

Sharing his views at the side-lines of the IEB Autotech 2022, Sohinder Gill, CEO of Hero Electric, India said, 'We have been relentlessly scouting for reliable EV components from high-quality suppliers across the globe for the last few years since the Indian suppliers for the EV components were not willing to invest giving reasons of the very low volume of sales and unpredictable future of EVs in India. Our partnership with NIDEC Japan was forged to help alleviate our growing supply chain issues. Having them on board and our close collaboration with them is now allowing us to develop Power Train Components across our product range progressively.&nbsp;Indian driving and road conditions being severe, components need to be designed keeping in mind challenging issues like extreme temperatures, dust, overloading, and inconsistencies in the power supply in the country.&nbsp;It has taken us a long time to reach this stage where we are now confident that the power train that NIDEC will deliver from its state-of-the-art plant at Neemrana will be the best in class from the point of view of efficiency and reliability.'

The partnership between Hero Electric and NIDEC Japan commenced over two years ago. They started&nbsp;developing motors for all of their&nbsp;electric bikes, starting with the ones designed for cities. The&nbsp;NIDEC team and Hero Electric's R&amp;D team both contributed significantly to the co-development.

On the association with Hero Electric, NIDEC spokesperson said, 'It is our pleasure and honour to announce that after a marathon series of meetings with Hero Electric our Research and Development team has been working tirelessly, NIDEC India Pvt. Ltd. has achieved a breakthrough and has developed a Hub Motor, with modern advance technology suitable to Indian conditions and which will ensure the best ride ever.'

The NIDEC spokesperson added, 'We take this opportunity to thank the entire management and the entire team of Hero Electric for their never-ending support and collaboration in developing this Hub Motor. We hope that this is the beginning of more such breakthroughs and development collaborating with Hero Electric and that this partnership shall be a landmark one in the field of Electric Vehicle Motors in India.'

Also read:

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-vida-v1-electric-scooter-launched-at-rs-145-lakh-111624/">Hero Vida V1 electric scooter launched at Rs 1.45 lakh</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-electric-mahindra-join-hands-to-produce-evs-110623/">Hero Electric &amp; Mahindra join hands to produce EVs</a>

Hero Electric E-bikes to use NIDEC electric motors

Hero Electric’s City Speed range of E-bikes is set to use NIDEC’s electric motors. The roll-out is anticipated in February 2023. It is expected that this partnership with Japan will prove to be resourceful in improving critical supply chain problems in the EV sector.

The partnership between Hero Electric and Mahindra will see the latter manufacture Optima and NYX electric scooters at its&nbsp;Pitampur plant.

Hero Electric has joined hands with Mahindra Group to produce EVs in India. The partnership between the two home-grown firms will see Mahindra manufacture Hero Electric’s Optima and NYX electric scooters at its Pitampur plant.

According to Hero Electric, the partnership will help it achieve its target of manufacturing 1 million EVs per year by the end of 2022. At the moment, the firm produces its EVs at its existing facility in Ludhiana.

Commenting on the development, Naveen Munjal, MD, Hero Electric, said, 'With this partnership, we look to further enhance our manufacturing capabilities to meet demand and utilize Mahindra Group’s robust supply chain to reach newer centres in the country. The long-term partnership will also see both the companies make the most out of each other’s deep knowledge of EVs and drive new product development in the next few years.'

While Mahindra hasn’t divulged details about its future EVs in the two-wheeler space, it’s understood that it will enter the market sooner or later with Peugeot Motocycles – a company that it acquired in 2019. The joint development efforts between Hero Electric and Mahindra will help with the ‘electrification of the Peugeot Motocycles’ portfolio’, says the official statement.

'Peugeot Motocycles has ambitious plans in the EV mobility space in several regions of the world, particularly in Europe. This strategic partnership will bolster these efforts through the joint development and platform-sharing approach, leveraging the combined strengths of the two businesses. Our R&amp;D Centre in India will be integral to this arrangement as will the manufacturing facility at Pitampur, which already supplies Peugeot with EV products. I see significant value creation on a mutually beneficial basis and look forward to this partnership delivering on its obvious promise,'&nbsp;commented Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, Auto &amp; Farm Sectors, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra Ltd.

Also read,&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-electric-announces-five-year-warranty-on-its-lithium-ion-range-108886/">Hero Electric announces five-year warranty on its lithium-ion range</a>&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/industry-news/honda-drags-hero-electric-to-court-over-design-infringement-107918/">Honda drags Hero Electric to court over design infringement</a>

&nbsp;

Hero Electric & Mahindra join hands to produce EVs

The partnership between the two home-grown firms will see Mahindra manufacture Hero Electric’s Optima and NYX electric scooters at their Pitampur plant. Mahindra is also expected to develop an EV platform for Peugeot Motocycles with Hero Electric.

For now, the five-year warranty is applicable only to those Li-ion models sold from 1st January to&nbsp;31st March 2021.

In a bid to enhance customer confidence, Hero Electric has&nbsp;announced an attractive five-year standard warranty across its Lithium-ion&nbsp;battery-powered product portfolio. As of now, Hero Electric sells up to five different Li-ion e-scooter models in about 13 different variants. The comprehensive&nbsp;warranty will cover&nbsp;the entire scooter (except the battery and charger) and will be offered to customers at no extra cost (warranty cost has been included in the cost of the scooter).

Initially, though, the five-year warranty is being rolled out as a limited-time offer, applicable only to those Li-ion models that were sold&nbsp;between 1st January and&nbsp;31st March 2021. If the consumer feedback is positive in this phase, Hero Electric will then consider rolling out the same warranty offer for&nbsp;all its products.

Sharing his thoughts on the announcement, Mr&nbsp;Sohinder Gill (CEO – Hero Electric) said, 'The comprehensive warranty is a confidence-building measure that will eliminate the uncertainty about the trouble-free usage of Hero bikes as well as improve its resale value.'

Of late, Hero Electric has been busy launching extended-range (ER) models in India and forming ties with domestic leasing firms to promote e-scooter leasing.

Read more:

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-electric-nyx-hx-with-up-to-210km-range-launched-at-rs-64640-108547/">Hero Electric Nyx HX, with up to 210km range, launched at Rs 64,640</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-electric-ties-up-with-oto-capital-for-e-scooter-leasing-108300/">Hero Electric ties up with OTO Capital for e-scooter leasing</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/interviews/interview-with-sohinder-gill-ceo-hero-electric-107815/">Interview with Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric</a> 
&nbsp;

Hero Electric announces five-year warranty on its lithium-ion range

Hero Electric has announced an attractive five-year standard warranty across its Lithium-ion battery-powered product portfolio. The comprehensive warranty will cover the entire scooter (except the battery & charger) and will be offered to customers at no extra cost.

Initially, the leasing options&nbsp;will be available across&nbsp;16 Hero Electric dealerships in Bengaluru &amp; Pune.

Hero Electric has tied up with OTO Capital, an India-based vehicle leasing startup, to provide its customers with flexible &amp; affordable leasing&nbsp;options for its electric two-wheelers. OTO's leasing plans start from a minimum tenure of 12 months and can go up to 36 months. However, after 12 months, the customer will get an option to upgrade to any other model.

OTO Capital claims that its&nbsp;monthly OMIs (OTO Monthly Installments) are more affordable by up to 30%, compared to other financing options in the market. For instance, the Hero Electric Nyx&nbsp;LI costs ₹3,520/month if purchased via a traditional bank loan of two-year tenure. However, through OTO, this cost can be reduced to&nbsp;₹2,478/month. (Figures provided by OTO Capital).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Given the circumstances, Hero Electric claims that it has witnessed a big jump in sales over the past few months and even OTO Capital has seen a 120% increase in the demand for vehicle leasing. Plus, with the <a href="https://www.autox.com/news/industry-news/evs-can-be-sold-without-batteries-morth-issues-clarification-108259/">government's recent clarification regarding&nbsp;registration of EVs without batteries</a>, consumer demand for affordable EVs and more flexible financing options is likely to grow further.

Sharing his thoughts on the partnership,&nbsp;Sumit Chhazed (Co-founder - OTO Capital) said, 'We are excited to be Hero Electric’s partner to support the adoption of electric two-wheelers in India. We hope to lease at least 1,000 Hero e-scooters&nbsp;in the coming months.'&nbsp;

Read more:

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/okinawa-begins-doorstep-delivery-of-e-scooters-in-bengaluru-108295/">Okinawa begins doorstep delivery of e-scooters in Bengaluru</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/industry-news/honda-drags-hero-electric-to-court-over-design-infringement-107918/">Honda drags Hero Electric to court over design infringement</a>

Hero Electric ties up with OTO Capital for e-scooter leasing

Hero Electric has tied up with OTO Capital, an India-based vehicle leasing startup, to provide its customers with flexible & affordable leasing options for its electric two-wheelers. OTO's leasing plans start from a minimum tenure of 12 months and can go up to 36 months.

Honda has accused Hero Electric of copying the design of one of its scooters. The Japanese auto major has sued the Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer&nbsp;and is seeking an immediate ban on the manufacturing and sale of its Dash scooter.&nbsp;

We all know that copying designs of popular products is a very common exercise among Chinese automakers. However, it seems we now have a similar situation here in India, as Honda has sued Hero Electric, accusing the latter’s Dash e-scooter of blatantly copying the design of one of Honda’s global products, the Moove. The Japanese heavyweight has submitted an application to the Delhi High Court, seeking an immediate ban on the manufacturing, selling, and advertising of the Hero Electric Dash.

In its complaint, Honda has accused Hero Electric of infringing its registered design, as the Dash, Honda claims, has identical front and rear lights&nbsp;and the rear cowl as the Moove. Now, the Honda scooter in question here isn’t sold in India. It was only available in some markets in South East Asia and went out of production in 2017. Nonetheless, Honda still has copyright for its design.

Hero Electric hasn’t issued any official clarification on the matter, but a court hearing took place on May 29 through a video conference. Hero Electric is now supposed to submit a response against the allegations on June 11.

It’s also worth mentioning that despite having similar names, Hero Electric's business operations are&nbsp;in no way connected to Honda’s previous partner in India, Hero MotoCorp. That said, Hero Electric claims itself to be the ‘largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer in India’, and has a manufacturing unit in Punjab, with a total installed capacity of 100,000 units/yearly. The company has over 600 sales and service outlets across the country.

Also read,&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.autox.com/interviews/interview-with-sohinder-gill-ceo-hero-electric-107815/">Interview with Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-electric-announces-discounts-on-online-bookings-of-products-107660/">Hero Electric announces discounts on online bookings of products</a>

Honda drags Hero Electric to court over design infringement

Honda has accused Hero Electric of copying the design of one of its scooters. The Japanese auto major has sued the Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer, and is seeking an immediate ban on the manufacturing and sale of its Dash scooter.

How are you managing this tough period? 
We were on quite a high and were doing great before all this began. On a run-rate basis, we had reached the level of 100,000 units a year, and we closed last year at 50,000 units. But now all our offices and 600 dealerships are closed. In the short run, we are in touch with everyone to make sure that our ground staff and dealers are pepped up and focusing on the positive as much as possible. We believe we will come soaring back once normalcy returns. &nbsp;

Do you see an interest in the electric vehicle segment becoming big enough to create a surge in demand? 
Of course, the entire EV market, including commercial vehicles, is just 156,000 units. So, that number is nothing compared to the millions of other automobiles sold. The numbers are not there, of course, but electric two-wheelers are doing well and getting better. Out of the 156,000 EVs sold, 150,000 are two-wheelers. And if things were not disturbed by the pandemic, we would have expected the number to double by next year.&nbsp;

Do you think business practices will change after the lockdown? 
A few things will happen, for sure. I think the customer mindset will change. Business will not be as usual! We can see that pollution levels are much less now. And I’m sure that people will consider this while thinking about electric vehicles. Public transport will be a problem because of social distancing, which means that people will move to private transport. And the first thing that comes to mind when we think of private transport is a motorcycle or a scooter. And it’s possible that customers will now want electric two-wheelers. So, it’s really simple – if the consumer mindset changes, the business practices will also change. We will have to now talk about the environment and social distancing when pushing our products.&nbsp;

So, do you think this will actually create a bigger demand for electric vehicles, and do you think electric vehicles really can help reduce pollution? 
In cities, which are the most polluted, there are hardly any factories! And during the lockdown, we have already seen a huge change, a positive change in the air quality. It’s definitely true that transport contributes a lot to the pollution in our cities. People are already talking about the absence of automobiles and its effect on the environment, and its registering in people’s minds. We are the culprits responsible for pollution. The problem here, though, is that electric cars are very costly, which makes it very difficult for people to switch to them. However, you must have noticed that, at Hero Electric, we offer much more affordable and practical solutions.&nbsp;

<img alt="Hero Electric" height="720" src="/uploads/2020/05/Hero-Electric.jpg" width="1280" />

We saw an electric motorbike at your stall at the Auto Expo this year. Can you tell us a bit about your future products? 
Well, the bike was a concept. It is not a part of our strategy. We just did it for fun and to see the response it generated. Right now, our focus is on the belly of the market, and we plan to launch two new products that offer great value for money – both of which will be launched this year itself.&nbsp;

What about the rural parts of the country? Is demand for electric scooters increasing in those areas as well? 
We have definitely seen a shift in demand. Big cities are no longer where we see growth. Our products do very well in places where public transport is not that good, and where the average commute distance is not very high, plus speeds are not so important and maintenance facilities and petrol pumps are not densely located. So, it’s a classic situation where an electric vehicle fits well, especially for families. In fact, our bikes don’t require regular service and maintenance, and we offer a 3-year warranty period. Our products have almost zero after-sales cost. And we also have a product for everyone. We also conduct B2B transactions and supply to companies like Amazon, who want hassle-free scooters that are also environmentally friendly.

What would you say to someone who is sceptical about electric vehicles? 
Well, you must experience it. Our major objective in our dealerships is to get someone to sit on the scooter and ride it. After riding it, most people appreciate it immediately – not to mention the fact that you save so much money. You obviously can’t compare an EV to a regular vehicle. You have to have an attitude towards the environment and towards saving money, and only then will you see its true value.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIG1oiAm60

Also read -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-electric-announces-discounts-on-online-bookings-of-products-107660/">Hero Electric announces discounts on online bookings of products</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/bike-news/hero-dash-electric-scooter-launched-106485/">Hero Electric Dash launched</a>

Interview with Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric

How are you managing this tough period? We were on quite a high and were doing great before all this began. On a run-rate basis, we had reached the level of 100,000 units a year, and we closed last year at 50,000

Will the sudden drop in crude oil prices affect electric mobility in the near future? We discuss the same with Mr. Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric and his plans going forward with electric two-wheelers.

Interview: Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric

Will the sudden drop in crude oil prices affect electric mobility in the near future? We discuss the same with Mr. Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric and his plans going forward with electric two-wheelers.

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