Rs 200 crore investment: TVS revs up with e-scooter iQube

The Chennai-based company invested Rs 200 cr in its EV programme and launched iQube to target the youth. “As India moves ahead, its mobility solutions would increasingly be experience-led and nowhere is this felt sharper than among the youth. Our focus on the green and connected youth, is embodied, in the first of the TVS,” said Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company.

The electric digital scooter is priced at Rs 1.15 lakh — Chetak Electric is available for Rs 1 lakh-Rs 1.5 lakh — and is powered by advanced electric drivetrain and next generation TVS SmartXonnect platform.

iQube — with a maximum speed of 78 kmph and coverage of 75 km on full charge — is expected to give stiff competition to Bajaj Chetak Electric and Ather 450, which were launched recently.

On the decision to foray into ‘sustainable vehicles,’ Sudarshan Venu, Joint MD, TVS Motor, said, “There is a complete discontinuous change in the aspirations of young people today and we want to meet their demands with vehicles that are digital which have connectivity and are sustainable and that is where iQube steps in.”

According to Venu, the company has invested Rs 200 crore in its electric vehicle programme and plans to launch more vehicles in time. TVS is working with Bescom to create 10 outdoor charging units in the city. The current manufacturing capacity of the scooter is 1,000 units a month, but is expected to increase in a phased manner. It also expects to sell over 100 units in Bengaluru this month.