Hot on the heels of the launch of its new electric scooter - Praise, electric two-wheeler maker Okinawa has announced that it will be entering the electric motorcycle segment over the next six months. The Jaipur-based EV maker made its debut in the market earlier this year and has introduced two electric scooters - Ridge and Praise. Speaking on the sidelines of the Praise launch, Okinawa Managing Director Jeetender Sharma confirmed the development and its intention to enter the e-motorcycle segment. This space has been largely unexplored in the Indian two-wheeler market and Okinawa will be the first company to come with production ready motorcycles.
Also Read: Okinawa Praise Electric Scooter Launched In India
That said, details are still sketchy on what kind of motorcycles does Okinawa plan to introduce in the EV space. Much like the scooters, the company could introduce a commuter offering using the same powertrain setup currently seen on the Ridge and Praise. A higher performance model cannot be ruled out either.
(The newly launched Okinawa Praise e-scooter)
Presently, Okinawa does not have a direct rival in the electric motorcycle segment. Only handful of companies are working here, but none of these manufacturers have introduced production ready models. However, Okinawa's motorcycles will lock horns with the offerings from the Pune-based Tork Motorcycles, while Bangalore start-up Ultraviolette is also working on e-bikes, and TVS recently acquired 14.78 per cent stake in the company. In addition, homegrown companies including Hero Electric and Ather Energy are also working on electric two-wheelers.
Meanwhile, Okinawa will first concentrate on making the Praise available across the country. The scooter was launched priced at Rs. 59,889 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and will be retailed via the company's 106 current dealerships pan India. The two-wheeler maker will be expanding its retail outlets to 500 by the end of 2020.
