The country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp today unveiled India’s first concept hybrid scooter, which is being developed in association with a foreign consultant, at the 11th Auto Expo. “This is a first-ever series hybrid scooter from India. We are showing the rest of the world that we have arrived,” Hero MotoCorp Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Pawan Munjal, told reporters.

The concept hybrid scooter — LEAP — is being indigenously developed with the help of an international consultant, he added.

Japanese giant to challenge market leader with China-made machines
A year after they parted ways, the world’s largest two-wheeler maker, Honda, has thrown down the gauntlet at its former partner of 27 years, the Hero Group, with a plan to launch motorcycles at game-changing prices.

Hero MotoCorp Ltd, the new avatar of Hero Honda Motors Ltd after the Hero group and Honda Motor Company called off their 26-year-long association, plans to set up two new plants – one in the South and the other in the West – and a parts distribution centre in Rajasthan.

Mr Pawan Munjal, Managing Director and CEO, Hero MotoCorp, told journalists here that the company was in discussions with a State Government in the South and would shortly announce the location of the new plant.

Ahmedabad American automobile giant Ford Motors is all set to become Nano’s neighbour in Sanand, Gujarat. The state, touted by many as the ultimate investment destination, has moved a step closer to realising its chief minister Narendra Modi's dream of becoming the country's automobile hub with Ford inking two MoUs with the state government to set up an integrated manufacturing facility comprising a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and an engine plant near Sanand at an estimated cost of $ 1 billion.

3,631 acres notified despite no demand from industries
Acquisition of land for industrial purposes continues unabated in Dharwad even as farmers are up in arms against surrendering their land in the neighbouring Gadag district.

ON THE MARK ?Mummigatti village in Dharwad taluk where lands have been notified for acquisition.

THE Hero group will remove the Honda brand name from its flagship products

Ronojoy Banerjee

New Delhi: Sensing the growing potential of electrically-powered vehicles, New Delhi-based Hero Electric, a wholly-owned electric two-wheeler subsidiary of the Munjals-promoted Hero Group, plans to use the electric platform to roll out three-wheelers and other speciality vehicles.

HERO Motors, owned by Pankaj Munjal, nephew of group chief Brijmohan Lall, is in talks to manufacture high-powered bikes for a host of global superbike makers, including Harley Davidson in the country.

Surajeet Das Gupta & Yogima Seth Sharma / New Delhi May 5, 2010, 0:44 IST

The government extended the deadline for implementing cleaner emission norms for two-wheelers across the country, a move that has come as a big relief for auto manufacturers, especially the country

New Delhi: Hero Honda's strong hold on the domestic motorcycle market is getting a tough challenge from rival Bajaj Auto.