After a sharp reduction in FAME-II subsidies resulted in a steep price hike for its maiden offering, electric vehicle (EV) start-up Tork Motors has found a new way to circumvent the price hurdle. It has rolled out a new variant of its Kratos R electric motorcycle, dubbed the ‘Urban’, which is priced at Rs 1.67 lakh, a full Rs 20,000 less than the bike it’s based on. The novel part is, much like a music streaming app or an editing software, the Kratos R Urban comes with a one-month ‘free trial’ of all the features available on the more expensive variant.
Also Read: Tork Kratos R Electric Motorcycle Price Hiked; Now Costs Rs 1.87 Lakh
Mechanically identical to the Kratos R, the Urban comes with the same 4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which grants real-world range figures of up to 120 km in Eco mode, 100 km in City mode and 70 km in Sport mode. It also has the same axial flux permanent magnet motor with a continuous output of 6 bhp and peak outputs of 12 bhp and 38 Nm of torque, which lets it complete the 0-40 kph sprint in a claimed 3.5 seconds, and max out at 105 kmph. The caveat is that after one month of ownership, the bike will only have a single ride mode (City) with reduced max top speed (70 kmph) and range (100 kilometres).
Also Read: New Tork Kratos X And Updated Kratos R Introduced
The Urban will only be available in 3 of the 5 colours the Kratos R is offered in.
Other features that will be disabled after the first month include reverse mode, fast charging capability, in-app navigation, live dash over Bluetooth, vehicle locator, anti-theft system, geofencing, charging point location, OTA updates and ride analytics. Buyers will have the choice to unlock these features by paying an additional Rs 20,000 at any time within the first six months of ownership; effectively turning the motorcycle into the Kratos R (priced at Rs 1.87 lakh, ex-showroom, after FAME-II subsidy).
Also Read: Tork Motors Expands Presence in Gujarat with New Experience Zones
Under the revised subsidy structure, the maximum FAME-II incentive the Kratos R – which previously qualified for a total FAME-II subsidy of Rs 60,000 – is eligible for, is Rs 22,500; a reduction of Rs 37,500. Tork increased the Kratos R’s price by a little over Rs 19,000, in June.
Tork launched the Kratos early in 2022, in two variants – standard and R. However, the start-up only manufactured the higher-spec R variant, and now only lists the R on sale. The base model, which, at launch was priced at Rs 1.32 lakh, had similar specifications, but missed out on a few features, and had a slightly lower motor output and lower top speed.
Back then, Tork was building the Kratos at a small facility of its own, which limited production and availability of the bike. In March 2023, Tork transferred production of the Kratos to majority stakeholder Bharat Forge’s plant in Chakan, under a contract manufacturing arrangement. The new plant has a production capacity of 60,000 units a year, which can be scaled up to 1 lakh units a year.
