EXCLUSIVE: Yamaha India Chairman Talks EVs, Big Bikes And ADVs For India
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Yamaha India has been doing steady work for the past couple of years, with the FZ series and the R15 platform bringing in a lot of the business. With bigger things planned for 2023 and beyond, we managed to get in touch with Yamaha India’s chairman Eishin Chihana to know what’s in store.
Q: How is Yamaha’s durability test for EVs going? What are the key lessons learnt so far?
It is without a doubt that when it comes to EVs, the top priority for Yamaha is safety. Keeping this in mind, our engineers in India are working closely with the team at YMC on heat management system of the electric scooter platform for the Indian market. The factors being considered for heat management are related to the road conditions, customer usage and high temperatures in summer.
Q: If Yamaha brings an EV based on its international lineup (by CKD or CBU), will it be cost-effective for the brand? Won’t developing a new EV from the ground up be more sensible in the long-term?
Firstly, we will look at importing Neo’s EV, which Yamaha recently launched in Europe. But we will have to rework on the motor and battery specifications to make it suitable for Indian riding conditions. For this, the use of Indian suppliers, even for things like mechatronic systems is required. This will also allow us to achieve an accessible price for India. Therefore, while the initial plan is to assemble it in India, in the long-term, producing EVs in India will be a more realistic option, especially when we have so many suppliers here.
Q: Do you think Yamaha will set up an EV charging infrastructure for its upcoming electric products? Do you think swappable batteries make sense or feel fixed batteries are the way to go?
Internationally, we have EV offerings with both options: swappable battery and fixed battery. But for the Indian market, this decision relies on the outcome of the tests being conducted to ensure the best possible approach from both safety and performance standpoints, keeping weather and riding conditions in mind and the actual usage and preference of Indian customers.
Q: Now that Yamaha intends to bring the RX100 back, what route will it take? Do you think the RX100 can return in an EV avatar?
The name RX100 holds a very strong sentiment value in the Indian market, and is known for its performance, sound, design and the exciting element that is undoubtedly Yamaha. So, one thing is certain, while introducing the RX name back into the market, we have to ensure that we maintain the image created by the iconic model. And we believe that introducing it with a bigger displacement internal combustion engine may recreate the same impact.
Q: How is the Yamaha FZ-X doing in terms of sales? Are there any plans to capture the mid-capacity retro-style segment in India? Royal Enfield has been dominating this space.
We have been receiving consistent numbers for the FZ-X since its launch. There has been a lot of demand for the model in this year as well, but we were unable to meet those due to the semi-conductor shortage issue. Nevertheless, it’s a strong product with huge potential, and we are confident that next year, we will meet the demand of our customers with the required stock. We have certainly witnessed growing demand in the mid-capacity segment and it is not only in retro-styled models. We may look into tapping that space by utilising the strengths of our stylish and sporty global models.
Q: The entry-level ADV space is booming and does Yamaha have any plans to enter this segment? Perhaps with the 250cc platform that caters to the FZ25 range
We fully understand the growing demand for ADVs. However, for the moment, our focus remains on the 125cc to 155cc premium motorcycle and scooter segment and we will see if there is possibility to create an adventure version in this segment.
Q: What’s the reason behind not having a presence in the big bike segment in India? Considering Yamaha was the first to enter India with big bikes like R1 & MT-01.
We are completely aware that the market and trends related to the big bike segment is certainly on the rise and we may consider bringing in motorcycles like the MT-07, MT-09, YZF-R7 or other models in select batches, enough to please our high-end consumers.
Q: Any plans to expand dealerships further in the future? Are there any specific markets that you’d like to target?
We introduced the concept of Blue Square showrooms in 2019, which was in line with ‘The Call of the Blue’ brand campaign launched in 2018. As of today, we have been successful in setting up more than 130 Blue Square showrooms across India and aim to take this number even higher. Our goal is to transform the entire Yamaha sales and service network to Blue Square, giving a premium ownership experience to every Indian customer. For this, we are targeting both urban and semi-urban areas, which include both existing and new markets.
