With strict norms in India coming into place to prohibit bikes equipped with internal combustion engines up to 150cc from 2025 is wake up call not only to Benelli but other motorcycle manufacturers.
Benelli had a plan to open a new production plant in India that was expected to produce approximately 200,00 motorcycles involving 400 employees.
However now Managing Director of Benelli India, Vikas Jhabakh says “We were considering the option of building mass-market motorcycles here in India too. Given the orientation of the government, building a plant is no longer a viable option because these investments take a long time to be repaid. He further said many of these motorcycles would have been less than 150cc” and “the government made it very clear to us that the future of mobility will be electric”.
Benelli India’s sales record has been good as they have sold 1,000 bikes in the current year in India since January 2019 having19 dealers in 18 cities and plans to grow to 60 dealers by 2020.
