Motovolt bets on utility EVs with M7, URBN and e-cycles for mass market

Looking beyond the family scooterMotovolt has consciously chosen not to enter the family scooter slugfest. Choudhary is blunt: why fight in a crowded ring when larger opportunities exist elsewhere? His company’s focus is the multi-utility scooter, the Motovolt M7 and micro-mobility solutions, categories that remain largely ignored by established OEMs. He explains, think of it as the SUV of electric two-wheelers, capable of carrying a 200 kg load, designed for durability, and offering up to 166 km of range. It is not chasing vanity or speed; it is chasing utility. In Choudhary’s words, it is a niche, but a “big niche.” Also Read : Motovolt M7 multi-purpose electric scooter debuts at Auto-Expo 2023 The M7 platform, however, is only the beginning. Motovolt is developing new variants with 17-inch wheels, targeting what Choudhary calls the “TVS XL space”, a segment that has long lacked a proper EV alternative. The idea is to craft a “lifestyle utility” category in India, one that serves both goods transport and passenger mobility. Meanwhile, the urban-focused URBN model, originally a low-speed machine, will soon see a high-speed variant, keeping the price point around ₹60,000 to remain accessible to the mass market. The case for utility and affordabilityIndia sells 15 to 20 million two-wheelers a year, and by Motovolt’s reckoning, nearly a third of that serves as goods carriers or affordable daily commute solutions. The classic TVS XL remains unmatched even today, selling 40,000 units a month because it solves a problem few others bother to address. Motovolt wants to be that answer for the EV era. By pricing its scooters between ₹60,000 to ₹75,000, it hopes to plug the gap between a basic bicycle and the relatively expensive electric scooters pitched as lifestyle choices. Even e-cycles have a role in this equation. Motovolt’s range will soon stretch from 100 km to 125–130 km, targeting both B2B and B2C users. They are pitched as an affordable upgrade ( ₹25,000–30,000) for those moving up from conventional cycles but unable to stretch to a full scooter. For a country where 70 per cent of households earn less than ₹30,000 a month, affordability is not a marketing buzzword, it is survival. Betting big on battery swappingIf there is one theme Choudhary returns to repeatedly, it is battery swapping. With gig workers fueling a booming quick-commerce economy, charging at home is often not an option. “For them, swapping is the only solution,” he insists. The numbers back his conviction. India’s e-commerce rider base could grow from 3 million today to 20 million in five years, he pointed. Also Read : Motovolt URBN is an electric bike that requires no license to ride Swap networks, Choudhary believes, will become as sticky as mobile data plans once users experience the convenience. Motovolt is already tied up with networks like IndoFast Mobility (with IOC) and Yuma, placing itself firmly inside this ecosystem. Motovolt had acquired eRockit to develop in house components such as BMS and motor controller Building from the ground upUnlike many EV startups that rely heavily on imports, Motovolt is investing in in-house powertrain technology. Motor controllers, vehicle control units, and battery management systems have all been developed locally after two years of R&D. German expertise via eRockit, has been integrated into the powertrain and frame design, enhancing durability and supporting loads of up to 200 kg. Choudhary’s ambition is clear: indigenise critical components, scale production, and offer warranties up to 60,000 km for B2B customers. Scaling for tomorrowThe Kolkata plant is already churning out 30,000 units a year, but Motovolt isn’t content to stay small. A second facility, somewhere in South or North India, is in the works, which could take annual production up to 100,000 units by FY26. At the same time, the company is quietly doubling down on retail, aiming to expand from around 100 touchpoints to 200 outlets across Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities by March 2026. So far, the push has been funded from internal resources, but a larger funding round is expected before the year ends, with ₹200 crore earmarked for the new plant, R&D, and marketing. Demand is currently strongest in the East and South, though the North, including Delhi–NCR, is starting to show interest. Battery swapping networks are still a core part of the strategy, first for B2B riders, with the longer-term objective of providing customers universally. By scaling up production, launching new variants, and expanding the swapping network, Motovolt is inching its way into India’s EV space. Its emphasis on multi-utility scooters, urban machines, and e-cycles connects both B2B and B2C users, while localizing critical components makes it a combination of durability and affordability that does not read as flash but as practical. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date: 07 Sept 2025, 10:15 am IST
Source: hindustantimes.com