Date:11/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111156461600.htm
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Business

eScooters from Murugappa stable

Special Correspondent

The scooters will be produced by BSA Motors, a strategic business unit

— PHOTO: BIJOY GHOSH

SOMETHING FOR THE YOUTH: M. M. Murugappan (left), Chairman of Tube Investments of India, with M. A. Alagappan, Executive Chairman, Murugppa Corporate Board (second from right), at the launch of BSA eScooters in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: The $2.4 billion Murugappa Group announced its foray into the still nascent e-scooter segment by launching five models, targeting young ones in the age group of 13-30 years.

The group’s entry into the e-scooter space is facilitated by Tube Investments of India which has set up an independent strategic business unit (SBU). The diversification into e-scooter will be implemented through a newly-formed SBU under the name and style of BSA Motors.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Arun Alagappan, Senior Vice-President, BSA Motors, said the initial thrust would be on the southern market. BSA Motors, he said, was planning to have 40 dealers across the South initially.

The eSscooters will be manufactured at the BSA Motors’ plant in Ambattur.

The group has made an initial investment of Rs. 20 crore. The plant has an initial production capacity of 150 eScooters a day, which can be ramped up to 300 units a day.

The five models of the BSA eScooters are: Smile, Diva, Street Rider, Roamer and Romer Plus.

The 250-watt Smile and Diva are targeted at young people in the age group of 13-18 years and 16-20 years, respectively. They do not require licence and registration. The 250-watt Street Rider is a unisex sports model for teenagers. The 500-watt Roamer is meant for working men and women in the age group of 18-25 years. The 800-watt Roamer Plus is a family e-scooter. Both Roamer and Roamer Plus require licence and registration.

They are priced between Rs. 29,000 and Rs. 36,000, depending on the model.

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