Yahoo Autos French Presidential Motorcade Adds Mahindra's Electric Bikes
Peugeot e-Ludix electric scooters, a new product manufactured in India by Mahindra, are joining the French presidential motorcade.
These lightweight bikes, designed as delivery or ride-sharing vehicles, are the first electric two-wheelers to be part of the French president's fleet.
Mahindra has just purchased Peugeot's motorcycle division after several years as a stakeholder in the French company.
A French-branded electric scooter that is owned and manufactured by an Indian company is getting ready to join the French presidential motorcade fleet. There's a great example of globalization at its finest.
The e-Ludix is an electric scooter produced by Peugeot's motorcycle division, which is now a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra, the largest car company in India. It made its debut at the Paris auto show last year and is being built in India, then exported to France to wear the Peugeot badge. Mahindra bought a 51 percent stake in Peugeot's motorcycle division back in 2015 and earlier this month fully acquired the company. In a licensing agreement, Mahindra will continue to use the Peugeot Motorcycles name and logo and plans to release seven new products under the name in the next three years.
The French presidential motorcade is the first customer to get the e-Ludix, which is produced in Mahindra’s Pithampur plant in Madhya Pradesh. The e-Ludix e-scooter is powered by a 4-hp electric motor, has a top speed of 27 mph, and weighs 187 pounds. Its maximum range is 31 miles, aided by regenerative braking; that sounds like more than enough for the usual motorcade duties. The 3.0-kWh battery takes about three hours to charge.
Mahindra has not yet introduced the e-Ludix to Indian roadways, but that should come soon, as it's the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the country. India's government is currently pushing for more electric vehicles as it grapples with the growing issue of pollution, with New Delhi's air being downright deadly at the moment. A large population of commuters use motorcycles and scooters to get around in India; if they were to shift to electric power, the reduction in pollution could be impressive.
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