Taiwan-based electric scooter pioneer Gogoro has successfully piloted its business in India, validating the local market’s potential, and is now poised for significant expansion in the country. While Gogoro is leveraging its expertise in India, the company is also creating new scooter designs tailored specifically for the local market.
Gogoro is set to introduce its renowned battery-swapping GoStations in India, alongside a novel electric scooter model specifically designed for the Indian market, which debuts today.
Gogoro has launched its first locally manufactured electric scooter in India, dubbed the Gogoro CrossOver GX250, a variation of the recently introduced CrossOver, an SUV-inspired scooter. The company’s latest electric two-wheeler, set for production in Maharashtra, aims to bring down its entry price point, thereby increasing access to its e-scooter range.
The GX250 “embodies the essence of Gogoro’s innovative CrossOver Smart scooters, while incorporating India-specific features that Indian riders of Gogoro Pilot scooters had requested,” the company explained.
The scooter boasts an innovative all-terrain design, engineered to seamlessly navigate diverse street conditions, featuring an enhanced body structure that amplifies power delivery and overall stability. With its increased ground clearance, this vehicle offers an added layer of protection from road hazards and uneven terrain, setting it apart from other models in the manufacturer’s current lineup. The entire scooter was meticulously designed and inspected to cater specifically to the Indian market, including even its most minute components. As Gogoro’s founder and CEO Horace Luke cautioned from Delhi prior to announcing their new product, he noted that even the most powerful electric scooter – their own “horn” included – might not be enough to protect riders in chaotic Indian traffic. They rely heavily on their horns to function as a sort of sonic radar, leaving them constantly active. So it must be good!”
While India boasts a thriving domestic market for electric scooters, its focus thus far has been on grid-charge models that require parking near a wall outlet for several hours during the charging process. With Gogoro’s innovative battery-swapping technology, riders can quickly replace several spent batteries at a designated swapping station, seamlessly transitioning to a fully charged pack and back on the road in mere seconds.
In Taiwan, the Gogoro Community serves approximately 600,000 riders and boasts a circulating fleet of more than 1.3 million good batteries via its extensive network of 12,000 battery-swapping stations strategically located across over 2,500 places nationwide. In Taiwan, riders have performed an astonishing 400,000 daily battery swaps, while the company has witnessed more than 500 million total battery swaps since its inception.
Following its expansion into multiple international markets over recent years, Gogoro is now poised to duplicate this achievement in India. The locally produced CrossOver GX250 scooter plays a pivotal role in our strategic vision.
The scooter will initially cater to business-to-business clients in Delhi and Goa, with expansion planned for Mumbai and Pune by mid-2024, with shoppers able to access the product in the second quarter of that year.
The CrossOver brand offers a range of styles, including the popular CrossOver 250, as well as more compact options such as the CrossOver 50 and sleeker designs like the CrossOver S. The CrossOver GX250 is now readily available for immediate purchase, with its siblings, the CrossOver 50 and CrossOver S, expected to hit the market by the end of 2024.
As Luke continued:
As the world’s urban landscapes undergo a seismic transformation, India stands poised to spearhead a revolutionary shift in city transportation, leveraging its staggering 250+ million-strong fleet of mopeds and bikes to drive the adoption of eco-friendly solutions for both consumers and businesses alike. The Gogoro CrossOver series embodies everything our model has come to stand for, and the newly introduced made-in-India CrossOver GX250 is specially designed for Indian riders, featuring increased seating capacity, expanded storage space, and enhanced ground clearance.
The “GX250” moniker originates from its 2.5 kW direct-drive motor, which enables a brisk top speed of 60+ km/h (38+ mph) and a certified range of 111 km (69 miles). In a stark contrast to the average pace of other electric scooters, namely Gogoro’s top-performing models, commuters familiar with India’s major metropolises will attest that options for reaching comparable speeds are woefully scarce.
The CrossOver GX250 accommodates two riders; however, its true potential becomes apparent only when families gain access to this versatile vehicle, which offers generous storage options courtesy of an innovative mounting level growth system featuring 26 secure locking points. The four cargo areas, combined with the platform-design headlight, provide ample space for riders to stow their gear, while the foot, seat, and rear cargo areas ensure a versatile and practical storage solution is available to most users.
To accommodate a significant amount of cargo, the rear seat can be easily folded up or removed to create ample storage space as needed. In India, a common sight is motorbikes and scooters laden with an astonishing amount of extra cargo, far exceeding the capacity of even the largest pickup trucks found in North America.
The Yamaha FZ-X 250 model received certification from the India’s Worldwide Centre for Automotive Research and Development (ICAT) in August. In a milestone development last month, Gogoro became the first international two-wheeler original equipment manufacturer to be recognized by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), thereby qualifying its CrossOver GX250 electric vehicle for participation in SIDBI’s financing schemes.
As Gogoro’s flagship e-scooter, the CrossOver GX250’s Indian launch marks a pivotal moment in the company’s expansion, with its innovative battery-swapping technology poised to revolutionize urban mobility across the country.
Since Gogoro’s entry into new markets often begins with a focus on business-to-business (B2B) operations, they typically precede the expansion of consumer-based sales. “This allows us to visualize the baseload for our GoStations before customers activate their lights.” These battery-swapping stations will initially cater to business-to-business clients before being optimized for a broader ridership, including shoppers on scooters.
Gogoro has launched motorcycle-based taxi and logistics services in numerous countries, aiming to replicate this model in India. The corporation initiated a pilot programme last year by collaborating with Zypp Electric to provide motorcycle-related services. As Gogoro further expands its presence in India through this newly formed partnership, its growth trajectory is poised to accelerate.
Meanwhile, Gogoro has forged a compelling partnership with FutureEV. India’s popular tourist destination, Goa, is set to get a boost in sustainable mobility with the launch of a tourist-focused scooter-sharing service, powered by Gogoro’s innovative battery-swapping technology and intelligent Smartscooters.
FutureEV plans to initiate a pilot project on December 25, 2023, followed by an industrial-scale launch expected in the first quarter of 2024. By 2025, FutureEV aims to roll out a combined fleet of 10,000 Gogoro Smartscooters and CrossOver GX250 vehicles.
The collaboration with FutureEV may provide opportunities for indigenous entrepreneurs to establish their own franchises, thereby empowering local economic growth and development. Goa, the fifteenth most car-dense region on Earth, welcomes over 8.5 million tourists annually, prompting the local government to announce a significant step towards sustainability: from 2024, all new tourist vehicles, including rent-a-cars and bike rentals, must run solely on electric power.
Taiwanese electric scooter provider Gogoro has forged a groundbreaking alliance with Nebula Vitality, a pioneering entity within the MG Group’s umbrella in Nepal. Gogoro, a leading innovator in sustainable transportation solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Nebula Vitality to launch battery-swapping technology and SmartScooters in Nepal, further expanding its global presence.
As part of its global expansion, Gogoro is poised to further expand its presence by entering Nepal, joining existing operations in Taiwan, The Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, China, Israel, and India.
