Electric motorcycle in motion on an Indian urban street
Hero MotoCorp, a major player in the automotive industry, is set to introduce its first electric motorcycles next year. This move marks a significant expansion into the electric vehicle (EV) segment beyond its current electric scooter offerings under the VIDA brand.
Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer of Hero MotoCorp’s emerging mobility business unit, confirmed during the company’s Q1 FY27 earnings call that the new e-bikes are slated for release next year, not the current one.
The company plans to launch two distinct electric motorcycle models. The first, codenamed Project Ubex, is designed for urban mobility, aiming to provide a blend of performance, acceleration, and city-friendly features on an EV platform. The second model, VXZ, is positioned as a high-performance adventure motorcycle, developed in collaboration with US-based Zero Motorcycles.
Nandakumar highlighted that these new models are built on fresh platforms, leveraging learnings from their scooter development while incorporating specific technologies tailored to motorcycle consumer expectations regarding performance, rideability, credibility, and range.
The strategic timing of these launches appears to align with potential regulatory shifts, such as the Delhi government’s proposed ban on internal combustion engine (ICE) two-wheeler sales from April 2028. Hero MotoCorp CEO Harshavardhan Chitale indicated that a range of motorcycles would be available in the market well before any such policy takes effect.
This foray into the e-motorcycle segment is notable as electric motorcycles currently represent a small fraction of the overall electric two-wheeler market, which is largely dominated by e-scooters. The e-bike sector has seen emerging players like Ultraviolette, Oben Electric, and Matter Motor gaining traction, though challenges related to engineering, pricing, and resale value persist.
Hero MotoCorp’s entry is expected to intensify competition and potentially attract mainstream ICE riders to the electric motorcycle ecosystem. This development occurs as the broader Indian EV market is projected to reach $132 billion by 2030, with electric two-wheeler registrations showing substantial year-on-year growth.
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