As semiconductor availability keeps improving, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is reportedly strategizing to tighten its hold on the Indian market through its plan with several new models in various categories, as per RideApart.
Indeed, HMSI has been expanding its production capacity, streamlining its model lineup, and developing an electric vehicle. For instance, one of the company’s upcoming offerings is a motorcycle in the entry-level pricing category.
With this, the Japanese giant plans to dethrone Hero MotoCorp as the top seller of domestic two-wheelers.
Excitingly, new motorcycles from Honda will be unveiled in the 160cc and 300-350cc classes, along with a brand-new 125cc scooter. These are expected to materialize by next year, per a senior corporate executive.
In a report by The Financial Express, Atsushi Ogata, president, managing director, and CEO of HMSI, said:
“We are in the developmental stage with regards to the low-end motorcycle. We have to meet the new emission regulations for the next financial year. In the upper middle segment, we will have one in the 160cc segment. And we will also have a 125-scooter next year. Next year, we will also introduce a new model in the 300-350cc category.”
Additionally, the company’s first electric two-wheeler might reach the market in one to two years. Meanwhile, the company is now progressing to the development stage after the successful feasibility research for its electric vehicle.
It has also been reported that to create electric two-wheelers for the Indian market, HMSI will collaborate with Honda Japan. In the future, the market might witness recent developments that will compete with models like the Ather 450X and TVS i-Qube.
HMSI is also operating strategically relative to its manufacturing capabilities. For instance, the primary hub for the company’s high-end and mid-capacity bikes would be its Manesar plant, the oldest in India.
Manesar currently develops eight motorcycles with 160cc engines or bigger. Impressively, the plant can produce 400,000 units annually.
Having said that, Ogata expressed his faith in the future of HMSI in The Financial Express:
“Since the start of this year, thanks to schools reopening and offices restarting, we could see very positive momentum even from rural areas. We are keeping good momentum compared with the last three years. We have the festive demand coming up and the chip shortage issue is getting better.”
