Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup Oben Electric, which is famous for its electric motorcycles, has declared its entry into the mass-market commuter motorcycle segment by introducing its new O100 platform. Oben, by this step, intends to bring an economic and utility-oriented electric option on the Indian roads dominated by popular 100cc commuter bikes.
A New Platform for Mass-Market Electric Commuters
The O100 platform, with a modular architecture, has been designed totally in-house at Oben. The flexible platform will allow the brand to launch several variants to meet various needs of the consumers. Though battery capacities and feature profiles could differ between models, Oben aims to have the same performance levels relevant for daily commutes.
Oben is employing its own LFP battery technology in the coming electric motorcycles. Oben develops and designs main components like the vehicle control unit, electric motor, and chargers, minimizing dependence on third-party manufacturers and allowing more innovation. The company claims to have more than 25 patents for its in-house developed components and technologies.
Expected Launch and Expansion Plans
Further details regarding the O100 platform will be revealed in the near future. The initial electric bike on the O100 platform is set to launch in the second half of 2025. In the meantime, Oben is expanding its retail presence aggressively, with a plan to open more than 100 new showrooms in key metros and Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities by the end of the current year.
India’s two-wheeler commuter motorcycle market, particularly the 100cc entry-level segment, comprises almost 30% of overall two-wheeler sales, with millions of unit sales every year. Today, Hero MotoCorp leads this market with top-sellers such as the Splendor Plus and HF Deluxe. Some other important players in this space are the Honda Shine 100 and Bajaj Platina 100. For Oben Electric, penetrating this market will take formidable value propositions in performance and price.
Oben’s Current Line-Up
Currently, Oben Electric sells the Rorr and Rorr EZ electric motorcycles, both of which are based on its original ARX platform. The Oben Rorr is equipped with a 4.4 kWh battery that provides an IDC-certified range of 187 km, with a top speed of 100 km/h, and a 0–40 km/h acceleration in 3 seconds. With 8 kW peak power, the Rorr also has contemporary safety features such as a driver alert system and geo-fencing-based theft protection. It is available at a price point of Rs 1.50 lakh.
For a lower-priced variant, Oben brings the Rorr EZ, which begins at Rs 89,999 for the 2.6 kWh battery model. Other variants with 3.4 kWh and 4.4 kWh battery packs are priced at Rs 1.10 lakh and Rs 1.20 lakh, respectively. In spite of varying in price and battery capacity, the performance is more or less the same across the Rorr and Rorr EZ models.