HYM Drive Systems has inaugurated its manufacturing facility at Hero E-Cycle Valley in Ludhiana. The state-of-the-art facility of the company, a JV between Hero Motors and Yamaha Motors (Japan), has a hi-tech motor assembly line, along with an in-house motor winding and end-of-line testing equipped with ODIN Software System for 100% traceability.
HYM will start production in Q1FY23 with a capacity of 3,00,000 motors per annum in Phase 1. Under Phase 2, the company plans to expand the capacity to one million units. The product would be sold to the global markets through Hero and Yamaha’s OEM network and will also be used in the Hero, and Yamaha branded E-Cycles.
Both companies entered into an agreement in October 2021 to create a Global E-Cycle (Electric) Drive Unit at Hero E-Cycle Valley in Ludhiana.
A press release from Hero Motors noted that the JV is the next step in the strategic alliance forged between Hero and Yamaha in September 2019 to work together in the E-Cycle product segment.
Pankaj Munjal, Chairman, Hero Motors Company, inaugurated the new facility in the presence of senior executives from Yamaha Motor Co, strategic partners and other stakeholders.
Munjal noted that the manufacturing facility is a key component of the joint strategy with Yamaha to design, validate and manufacture Electric Drive Units for global E-Cycle markets in India.
The EU e-bicycle market has been growing in double digits for more than a decade and is expected to grow at a similar rate in the near future, he said, adding that the set-up of this facility has brought the company one step closer to fulfilling its ambition to be the first fully integrated player in India for the global market.
Additionally, Hero Motors is planning to set up a Technical Centre in 2023 to design the complete Electric Drive Units, which will include motors from HYM and other components like battery, controller, charger, display, sensors and connect applications from automotive suppliers in India and the EU, Munjal noted.
Okubo Shingo, General Manager, Yamaha Japan, said, “This partnership is in line with our ambition of advancing into E-Cycle and meeting the needs of E-Cycle customers in a better way. We are excited to achieve this milestone.”
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