Having begun its pilot project in the country earlier this year, Taiwan-based electric vehicle (EV) firm Gogoro is all set to launch its first product in India, which carandbike can now confirm is the Gogoro Crossover. Unveiled overseas just last month, the Crossover will now be launched in India in the month of December, with the company expected to begin deliveries of the electric scooter early in 2024. Production of the Gogoro Crossover has begun in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, with initial units on their way to select business-to-business (B2B) partners. The scooter, built using a high level of locally-sourced components, will also qualify for benefits under India’s FAME-II incentive scheme.
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Gogoro's electric scooters will be built in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, by a female-heavy workforce.
The Crossover is, in terms of dimensions, the largest Gogoro scooter till date, with the India-spec scooter set to have a wheelbase of well over 1,400 mm. The company dubs it a ‘two-wheeled SUV’, and the Crossover has a clear focus on utility and versatility. Built on a modified steel tubular frame, the Crossover has an extended LED headlight with a shroud that, with the help of mounting points, also doubles up as a load-bearing element. Equipped with a telescopic fork and twin rear shocks, the Crossover rides on 12-inch wheels and has a disc brake at each end (220 mm front; 180 mm rear). Kerb weight of the Crossover is 126 kg (with batteries), while ground clearance is rated at 142 mm.
In size terms, the Crossover is the biggest Gogoro scooter yet, with a wheelbase of over 1,400 mm.
Seats on the Crossover, which is meant to provide flexibility to gig workers, are split for a special reason – the pillion seat folds up to become a backrest for the rider, also freeing up space to carry large cargo at the back. Moreover, the pillion seat can be removed altogether to make room for bigger items. The flat floorboard is also said to comfortably accommodate suitcases and other heavy items, and to further boost practicality, Gogoro is also likely to offer front and rear luggage racks, along with top cases and panniers, as optional accessories.
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A total of 26 mounting points are present on the Crossover e-scooter.
Just below the rider seat is a separate, compact compartment that accommodates two swappable battery packs, which ensures there is no intrusion of the batteries into the underseat storage space. In India, the Crossover is set to have two batteries with each weighing a little over 10 kg and holding roughly 1.6 kWh of energy, which should give the scooter a range of around 100 kilometres. Gogoro has already set up a handful of battery-swapping stations in the Delhi-NCR region, and is set to commence full-scale battery manufacturing in the first half of 2024 as it eyes rapid rollout of its swap network across key cities in the coming months. Gogoro's battery swapping system -- which the company claims enables a swap in as little as six seconds -- will enable zero downtime for gig workers, effectively maximising work hours and profitability.
Headlight shroud is also a load-bearing element and can support the fitment of a front rack.
Final specifications of the India-spec Gogoro Crossover remain under wraps. However, the version targeted at the B2B market is likely to have a less powerful motor. carandbike has learned this version of the scooter is set to have a peak power output of under 3 kW and a top speed of around 60-65 kmph. Overseas, the Crossover’s liquid-cooled motor produces a peak output of 7 kW and 26.6 Nm of torque, and it remains to be seen if the scooter will be sold in this specification to private buyers.
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Pillion seat flips forward to double up as a rider back rest and also free up space for additional luggage.
Gogoro, which has pledged an investment of $1.5 billion (approx. Rs 12,300 crore) in Maharashtra, is eyeing the opportunities presented by India’s massive gig economy. It has already announced vital tie-ups with delivery giants Swiggy and Zomato, as well as EV-only delivery firm Zypp Electric. To find space for its swapping stations countrywide, Gogoro recently joined hands with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), announcing the latter’s fuel stations will also house its battery cabinets going forward.
Gogoro recently announced a tie-up with HPCL for the deployment of its battery swapping network across India.
Gogoro already has a partner in India in the form of Hero MotoCorp, which is developing an all-new scooter using Gogoro's tech platform and swappable batteries. The company -- which has already partnered with several two-wheeler brands globally, including Suzuki and Yamaha in Taiwan -- expects to see more manufacturers in India come forward to adopt its battery swap solutions once the appeal and practicality of its system is established in trying Indian conditions.
Sources say Gogoro’s efforts to localise heavily resulted from its desire to offer its scooter at an accessible price. Unbundling the batteries from the scooter and offering them via a subscription-based service will almost certainly help lower the initial cost of the Crossover, and Gogoro is likely to offer a multitude of plans, including a pay-per-use model and a monthly fee structure for fleet operators.
