TVS Motor Company Ltd and BMW Motorrad have unveiled the CE-02. The electric 2-wheeler will not only be the first product to be jointly developed and designed by both automobile majors on their crossover platform, but the first EV 2-wheeler from the TVS-BMW platform. The CE-02 will be manufactured in India by TVS at the company's plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.
"The CE-02 is the first product to be jointly designed and developed by TVS and BMW," said KN Radhakrishnan, Director and CEO, TVS Motor Company, in a chat with CNBC-TV18. "The bike is focused on young customers, and is going to a unique and differentiated EV," he added.
BMW Motorrad Head Markus Schramm confirmed that the CE-02 will be ready for launch in India sometime next year, but no final date or price has been arrived at yet. "We are looking at an India launch by 2024," Schramm said, refusing to divulge whether the CE-02's 8,500-euro price-tag would see downward revision in India.
"We are planning the CE-02 launch in Europe around springtime next year, and we see high potential for the bike in India," he added, "We are still discussing the final details for the India launch."
The production commencement of the CE-02 comes on the 10-year anniversary of TVS and BMW's high-profile partnership. Both OEMs inked a strategic union in 2013. They have, since, jointly manufactured five sub-500cc products, including models like the BMW G-310 GS and the BMW G-310 RR. Earlier on Friday (October 6), TVS Motor and BMW Motorrad also rolled out of the 150,000th 310cc series bike from the platform.
'ICE and EV 2-wheeles will coexist in India'
Schramm said he believes there might be a strong case for ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and EV 2-wheelers to coexist in India, even after 2030 when the government aspires to convert all ICE vehicles into EVs. "ICE bikes are still important for longer rides in the premium and leisure segments," he said.
"Today, in Europe, many of our customers own two bikes, and they use ICE 2-wheelers for longer bike rides to the Alps," Schramm added, "I see a similar situation in India where people use EV 2-wheelers to commute, but ICE bikes for longer rides, and this is despite plans by the government to change all 2-wheelers into EVs."
The CE-02 has a range of 90 kilometres, which Schramm says is not cause for worry. "In Europe, we have come to realize that the average travel distance per day for EV owners is 16 kilometres, and more than 90 percent of our CE-04 customers charge their electric motorcycles at home," said the BMW Motorrad head, "So, there is no need for any kind of range anxiety — in fact we have come to realize that customers ask for a lot more range than they actually need."
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
First Published: Oct 6, 2023 7:56 PM IST
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