Bicycle maker KTM is not confident about the superiority of electric vehicles and feels that optimism in this regard is “overestimated”. The Swiss bike maker, which claims to be the world’s number one premium motorcycle brand, sells tens of hundreds of e-bikes in Europe but isn’t confident in the electrics’ capabilities.
The company mainly deals in high-end racing bikes, has a 50.1:49.9 manufacturing joint venture with Bajaj Auto and will also sell electric models of the new Chetak scooters from Bajaj stable in Europe from the first quarter of 2024. The chief executive officer of Pierer Mobility, which owns the KTM brand, told PTI that the whole concept of electric vehicle mobility is overrated. “It is the result of incorrect mixing of the laws of physics and also from misreading the laws of energy.”
He added that it is not easy to talk and convince politicians about the impracticality of trying to produce high-end e-bikes, adding that it requires 10 times more storage space in the stool. electric vehicle segment to generate the energy that one liter of gasoline can produce .
He explained that a bicycle is a product that requires a lot of space and it is difficult for it to carry 600-700 kg of batteries. He thinks that for the same reason, sports or high-end bicycles cannot run on electricity.
He also thinks that it is not feasible for large-capacity bicycles to run on electric motors. This is because the weight of the battery required to produce the same power as a gasoline engine would be too high. Another factor that he emphasized is the high price of electric cars. Prices of lithium-ion battery components have increased by 5-6 times in recent times due to higher demand and a government push to switch to electric vehicles. However, it is not easy to get these points to politicians, he added.
First published date: January 22, 2023, 16:13 pm IST
