The iconic Luna makes a comeback in an electric avatar; along with urban India, the E-Luna is also being targeted as an eco-friendly runabout in Tier 2 and 3 towns and rural India.
26 Jan 2024 | 7763 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Kinetic Green has opened bookings at Rs 500 for the E-Luna, the modern, eco-friendly avatar of Kinetic Engineering’s iconic Luna moped today, ahead of the official launch of the E-Luna in February 2023.
Sulajja Firodia Motwani, founder and CEO of Kinetic Green, said: "We are delighted to announce that ...
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Kinetic Green has opened bookings at Rs 500 for the E-Luna, the modern, eco-friendly avatar of Kinetic Engineering’s iconic Luna moped today, ahead of the official launch of the E-Luna in February 2023.
Sulajja Firodia Motwani, founder and CEO of Kinetic Green, said: "We are delighted to announce that the iconic Luna is making a comeback in a brand-new electric avatar. The E-Luna is set to be launched in early February 2024, with bookings opening on Republic Day, January 26, 2024. We chose this day to present E-Luna to the citizens of India as the E-Luna is not only fully ‘Made in India’ but also ‘Made for India’. E-Luna is designed as a sturdy and durable EV, with the road conditions and driving requirements of consumers not only in metro and Tier 1 towns but for the Tier-2, Tier-3 cities and rural markets of India. It is designed to provide an efficient alternative to traditional petrol two-wheelers while addressing the evolving preferences of modern consumers. With impressive technical specifications, performance capabilities, a robust set of features, and a commitment to environmental responsibility, the E-Luna will distinguish itself as a versatile and practical choice for consumers in the new Bharat.”
Three powertrain options likely
The E-Luna is likely to be introduced with three broad powertrain options – the first batch that will be available for bookings will have a 2kWh battery pack rated for a claimed range of 80km. The company is also looking to introduce a 1.5kWh battery pack for Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets for a 40-45km claimed range as well as a variant with a 3kWh battery pack, which will have a claimed range of 100-125km.
While company officials have kept the price closely guarded and will be formally announced at the time of launch, Sulajja Firodia Motwani has said that the E-Luna will have an EMI of Rs 2,500 per month. This should make the E-Luna one of the most affordable and easy-to-own two-wheelers in the market upon its launch. It is understood that it will have a 150kg payload and a sturdy chassis that can withstand urban and semi-rural use. The Pune-based Kinetic Green, which has benefited from the recent decline in component and battery prices, is targeting sales of 5,000 E-Lunas per month.
The E-Luna is now listed on a few e-commerce websites, with prices ranging from Rs 71,990-74,990 (ex-showroom). As per the revealed images of the latest zero-emission Kinetic , the E-Luna has a very simple and utilitarian design just like its iconic predecessor, although it does miss out on the signature pedals. The rear seat is claimed to be removable for additional storage space. The lightweight E-Luna weighs only 96kg and with a listed seat height of just 760mm, this should be a very easy and friendly two-wheeler to ride.
The E-Luna is a relatively spartan machine with a simple digital dash that displays all the necessary information a rider needs. It comes with a USB charging port as well as a side-stand cut-off feature. There will be two colours on offer – Mulberry Red and Ocean blue.
A telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers suspend the tubular frame and the E-Luna gets drum brakes at both ends. The spoked 16-inch wheels are shod with possibly the slimmest tyres you can find on a registered two-wheeler in the country, which are supplied by TVS Eurogrip.
Claimed top speed is expected to be between 50-52kph, and a hub-mounted motor drives the E-Luna. Rated torque stands at 22Nm, while claimed charging time for the 2kWh battery is 4 hours. A portable charger is included in the price. There is even a claimed 110km range figure mentioned, although this is yet to be confirmed by the company.
TVS Motor Co, which is the sole manufacturer of petrol-engined mopeds in India, had sold 466,724 mopeds in CY2023 which makes for average monthly sales of 38,893 units. Will the Kinetic E-Luna draw buyers from that segment?
(With inputs from Dinshaw Magol, Autocar India)
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