The country’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp, earlier this year shocked everyone. It presented a unique vehicle called the Surge S32, an electric two-wheeler that can also be converted into a three-wheeler by attaching it to a shell. Recently, the company announced that the new Surge S32 will go into production within a year. Most likely, it will be launched in India by mid-2025.
What is the Surge S32, and how will it be registered?
First off, for those who may not be aware of the Surge S32, it is a very unique electric two-wheeler that comes with the benefit of being convertible into a three-wheeler. For this, the company will offer a rear shell, which will vary according to the needs of the buyers.
It can be a cargo unit or a passenger unit, which has a docking station at the front. In this unique concept, the two-wheeler, which is a separate unit, gets docked into the rear shell and becomes a single vehicle. The Surge S32 will become especially useful for small businesses in India.
Now you may be wondering how this unique vehicle would be registered in India. Well, for that, Hero MotoCorp, Surge, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have worked together. They have now created a unique registration category called the L2/L5.
This particular category is defined as a “2-wheeler-3-wheeler combination module.” In this, a two-wheeler vehicle that comes under the L2 category can be combined with a “non-self-propelled rear module.” It has to be noted that both configurations have separate registration plates. However, they still form a unified vehicle when combined.
Dr. Pawan Munjal, executive chairman and whole-time director of Hero MotoCorp, stated, “For the first time ever, around the globe and in India, we now have the government’s OK to register these vehicles to take them on the road. Both will have separate registration plates.”
He added, “But once the scooter goes into the three-wheeler, then it becomes one united vehicle. So, it’s ‘united we stand.’ We need the three-wheeler when I want to go out with my family, and when I need only the two-wheeler for deliveries, I have the scooter, the electric scooter to take out.”
Surge S32: More details
The Surge S32, as mentioned, is the creation of Surge—an electric mobility startup wholly owned by Hero MotoCorp. Their first and distinct product, the S32, is based on the S32 Modular EV platform. This quick conversion vehicle can be switched from a two-wheeler electric scooter to a three-wheeler cargo/passenger vehicle.
What’s even more impressive is that this conversion can be done in under three minutes. The two-wheeler in the Surge S32 acts as the front wheel and the control unit for the three-wheeler setup. As for the rear wheel of the two-wheeler after docking, it is lifted off the ground.
The company will offer a passenger cabin with optional weather-protective doors and increased cargo capacity. As for the electric motor and battery pack setup, in the two-wheeler mode, the vehicle will get a 2kW motor, a 3.5 kWh battery pack, and a top speed of 60 kmph.
Meanwhile, in the three-wheeler mode, it will be offered with a 3 kW motor and an 11 kWh battery pack. The top speed in the three-wheeler mode will be reduced to 50 kmph. Hero MotoCorp aims to produce 10,000 units of the Surge S32.
