Sokudo Electric to build in-house motor and controller plant to boost E2W R&D

Sokudo Electric, an Indian manufacturer of electric two-wheelers (E2Ws), is building an in-house advanced motor and controller plant spread over 20,000 sq.ft in Greater Noida investing INR 10 crore.

The plant is slated to be completed and become operational in 60 days to support the company’s R&D efforts, enhance its manufacturing efficiency, and make ‘Made in India’ vehicles more affordable, the company said.

This strategic expansion has been planned to boost Sokudo Electric India’s production speed and develop four new electric two-wheeler models at affordable prices. The in-house facility will also allow the manufacturer to design prototypes and test new motors and controllers faster, facilitating optimization during the R&D process. Through such efforts, the company aims to achieve Zero Quality Defects (ZED) and prevent product issues following market testing and trials, the company said in a media release.

The company anticipates this move to increase the number of locally-manufactured scooters, impacting the rapidly growing electric two-wheeler segment which displayed a 26% year-on-year growth in January 2024 compared to January 2023.

Sokudo Electric has been focused on R&D advancements and has invested significantly in product enhancements. The E2W manufacturer invested approximately INR 5.5 crore in each of its four high-speed electric models and one advanced low-speed model. It recently allocated nearly INR 1 crore for certifications by the testing agency ICAT and INR 4 crore for market trials and practices, the release said.

The company has also invested in product enhancement like integrating the CAN system in its two-wheeler models. This new initiative is expected to allow the manufacturer to reduce their reliance on external suppliers and streamline their production process while maintaining quality standards at all stages.

CMD Prashant Vashistha said, “Since the inception of Sokudo Electric we have been investing continuously in our company’s R&D process to develop zero-defect products and provide our consumers with 100% Made in India two-wheelers that are smart, reliable, and affordable. This approach has given us an edge over our competition in terms of pricing. Similarly, our continuous investments in dies and fixtures have enabled us to control production costs and maintain quality standards. With our upcoming plant, we aim to advance our R&D efforts and make locally manufactured vehicles more affordable for the masses.”

With the latest R&D investment attempt, Sokudo Electric plans to develop new patented models with advanced technologies backed by IoT-based features, new CAN software, and hardware functionalities to cater to the rising demand for smart two-wheelers. Through this latest investment, the company aims to develop product enhancements including higher boot space and a touch-based system to provide the Indian consumer with high-performance vehicles, the release added.