Tau Lotus Motors India looking to invest $18 mn in an EV plant

Tau Lotus Motors India Pvt Ltd, under the brand name of Wolfhouse Motors, will launch an “Alternative Energy Vehicle” (AEV) motorcycle in India next week. With a mission to “Make in India”, the California, USA-headquartered company is planning to open a manufacturing facility in Karnataka for its products.

Tau Lotus is going to invest Rs 160 crore ($18 million) in the first phase of development for the factory’s construction and equipment procurement. The vehicle-manufacturing company will employ 300 young ITI diploma holders from Karnataka to work at the facility by the coming year, hoping to ramp this number up to 600 in the next three years.

The 20-acre land for the plant will be finalised in the coming two months, between the cities of Bengaluru and Mysuru and manufacturing at the facility is expected to start in the next 6-8 months, founder and chief executive Vasu Ram Ayithi told DH.

“We are expecting the construction of the manufacturing unit to be completed in six months,’’ he said.

The company’s first offering, an AEV “retrosport” motorbike called E18R, will be unveiled in Bengaluru next week, after which the bike will be opened for pre-booking online, deliveries for which are expected to commence by the first quarter of 2024.

The 150cc electric motorbike will have a battery life of 200 km if traveled at 60 km per hour. The company is planning to introduce a subscription model for its batteries, which have an expected life of 5-6 years, to accommodate a battery swapping ecosystem.

Sport and classic models of the bike will also be launched later on. In the coming decade, Tau Lotus wants to venture into manufacturing scooters, 3-wheelers, tractors, all-terrain vehicles and 4-wheelers as well. After establishing itself in the Indian market, the company aspires to become a significant player in the South Asian geography, eventually expanding its product base globally.