Power Push: Electric motorcycle maker Ultraviolette plans three new motorcycles and a scooter

NEW DELHI: Ultraviolette Automotive, Bangalore-based maker of electric sports bikes, has not only produced India’s fastest motorcycle while also churning out one of the longest range on a single charge, but has also scooped up funding from marquee investors such as Netherlands-headquartered Exor — the biggest shareholder in Ferrari and Stellantis — and TVS Motor, apart from American tech giant Qualcomm Ventures.
The company, which sells the F77 bike (Mach2 and Super Street) that is priced upwards of Rs 3 lakh (ex-showroom), is set for a major product offensive as it brings out three new electric motorcycles, and also a long-range scooter, founders Narayan Subramaniam and Niraj Rajmohan told TOI.
All this while it also prepares to foray into overseas markets having cleared homologation (roadworthiness certification) for Europe for the F77 Mach2.
Valued at $330 million in its last fund raise in 2022, the company is now planning fresh investments and product launches for getting into the mainstream. It has currently sold around 1,000 units of the F77 (which has a top single-charge range of 323 kms), since its launch in early 2023. However, with rapid expansion beyond the launch city of Bangalore — it has entered 11 new cities recently which includes Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, and Vizag — it hopes to corner higher sales. “By the end of this year, the target is to reach around 50 cities.”
The company’s F99 racing prototype motorcycle had hit 258 kms per hour in January this year, which is the fastest for an Indian-made two-wheeler.
Subramaniam said while the F77 (which is pitted against petrol bikes from brands such as Triumph, KTM and Royal Enfield) will continue to be the flagship model, the three motorcycles that will be across multiple price segments, and these would primarily compete with petrol models that are in the 150-300cc segments. “The price of these motorcycles will be relatively competitive when compared to the F77, and when fully launched, the portfolio can comfortably be priced under Rs 2 lakh. The new bikes will include an urban commuter and an adventure tourer. The scooter will also be an urban commuter, but will come with a long range option.”
Rajmohan said the company’s key focus is on indigenisation and building in-house capabilities. “There was a near seven-year pre-launch R&D in areas such as battery technology, motor, battery management system (BMS), and vehicle control unit. All of this has been done in-house which makes our development and operations nimble, agile and cost-effective.”
With a background in automotive design and tech, Subramaniam and Rajmohan had co-founded Ultraviolette in 2016 as they looked to create mobility solutions based on what they call “progressive design and energy-efficient technology”.
Subramaniam has previously worked at Volkswagen, Germany (automobile design), Daihatsu, Japan (Concept Vehicle Design), and Mahindra 2 Wheelers in India (Transportation Design). Rajmohan hasworked as a product manager with NetApp and Yahoo! as a Senior Systems Engineer.