In a revival of an iconic name, Kinetic Watts and Volts, the electric vehicle subsidiary of Pune-based Firodia family’s Kinetic Engineering Ltd, relaunched the legendary Kinetic DX—this time as an all-electric scooter on Monday.
Banking on the legacy of its iconic predecessor, Kinetic Engineering says it will be among the top three in the crowded electric scooter market in the next three years, with a target of selling 1.5 lakh units of Kinetic DX annually by the third year.
“Our target is to be among the top 3 electric scooter players within the next 3 years. We are aiming for 150,000 annually scooters by the third year,” Kinetic Engineering’s Vice Chairman & Managing Director Ajinkya Firodia told Autocar Professional.
However, in the consolidating electric two-wheeler market, where legacy players have now actively started participating, Kinetic is betting on this one product, the electric Kinetic DX.
When asked if the company has plans for any new additions to its portfolio, Firodia said they will be focusing only on the Kinetic DX in the first three years, but will spawn out more variants of the model.
“We do not have plans to launch new models or a new segment in the first three years. Our entire focus will be on scaling the volume of Kinetic DX. But there will be new variants of DX, maybe more technologically advanced and a scaled-down version.”
This strategy is akin to many major players such as Bajaj Auto, TVS, Ather and Ola Electric, who concentrated on one or two popular models in the initial phase.
While acknowledging the need for innovation for more products in a market where OEMs are eyeing faster time-to-market, Firodia noted that R&D efforts for future models are underway.
The Kinetic Nostalgia
Kinetic Watts and Volts is banking on the nostalgic connection with the iconic Kinetic DX brand. The management believes that the Kinetic legacy name, combined with a strong, compelling product, will enable them to carve out a significant share in the burgeoning market.
The original Kinetic Honda DX, launched in the late 1980s, revolutionized the Indian scooter market, offering a compelling alternative to the then-dominant Bajaj Chetak and LML range.
Even after the Kinetic-Honda partnership dissolved, the scooter continued its run as the Kinetic DX before its eventual discontinuation.
“Consolidation is already taking place, with 90% of the market now held by top 5-6 players. So, we need a solid product made in India for India with a legacy brand that consumers know is going to stay. That is what we are doing with the new model,” Firodia said.
“The new Kinetic DX has a metal body, an LFP battery that lasts for 8-10 years. The model is very easy to charge, gives good under-seat storage and has good looks. We believe we have the right ingredients. We have to just make sure we get it right in terms of the ramp-up distribution and quality.”
All New Kinetic DX
Kinetic DX, which currently comes in two variants, is priced in the range of Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 1.17 lakh. At this price, it will compete with Bajaj Chetak, TVS iQube, Ather Ritza and 450s, and Hero MotoCorp’s Vida V2. Most of the Ola S1 variants are priced less than Rs 1 lakh.
While sales of electric scooters are growing with consumer confidence and product offerings, there is a shift in market dynamics, with legacy ICE players not just participating in the EV space but actively leading.
In June, TVS Motor topped the sales chart with 25,274 registrations, translating into a 24% market share. Bajaj Auto came in second with 23,004 units and 21.8% market share.
In FY25, a total of 11.49 lakh electric two-wheelers were sold, with Ola Electric topping the sales with 3.44 lakh units.
The new Kinetic DX boats of several features such as the signature boxy silhouette and red ‘READY’ starter button of its predecessor, as well as cruise control and a 3-year/50,000km warranty, extendable to 9 years and 1 lakh km.
The vehicle is powered by a motor in its wheel that gives it a peak power of 4.8kW. This motor gets its energy from a 2.6kWh LFP battery located in the scooter’s floor.
For the standard DX model, the company claims it can travel 102km on a single charge and reach a top speed of 80 km/h. The DX+ model offers a bit more, with a claimed range of 116km and a top speed of 90 km/h.
Kinetic also suggests that if you ride the scooter at a steady speed of 25-30 km/h on flat roads, you could potentially get up to 150km of range in real-world driving.
Distribution Ramp-Up
With the first product out, the company now believes scaling its distribution network is the most crucial thing. Over the three years, it targets around 300 dealerships.
“We already have 20 dealers signed up pre-launch, mostly in western India, and plans to reach 150 dealers across 50–60 markets within the first year of launch,” Firodia said.
The expansion will begin with big cities like Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Surat, and Raipur before entering smaller towns, which already account for nearly 50% of India’s EV sales.
He noted that legacy OEMs have the edge over others because of their extensive dealer network. “That is what we are building now.”
Looking beyond the domestic market, Kinetic Watts and Volts sees potential in global markets including Africa, UAE, Vietnam, and Europe, but the plan is to focus more on the domestic market before starting exports.
Leveraging Synergies
On the supply chain and scaling up front, Kinetic Watts and Volts is heavily relying on the synergies within the Kinetic Group – one of India’s oldest automotive component and vehicle manufacturing companies.
Five main components – the controller, motor, battery, chassis, and sheet metal – are being manufactured within the Kinetic group.
Kinetic Communication will handle the controller and motor, a battery plant has been established under Vangex, and Kinetic Engineering will produce the chassis and sheet metal.
When it comes to manufacturing, Kinetic Watts and Volts will use the facility owned by Kinetic Engineering in Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra.
The factory was earlier used to manufacture the Luna, and was later converted to make two major auto components. “Kinetic Watts and Volts took a portion of this facility, modernized it completely and set up the assembly line. It is a full-fledged assembly line now,” Firodia said.
The facility can manufacture 6,000 electric vehicle units per month in a single shift, which is scalable up to 12,000 units across multiple shifts. Firodia noted that the company plans to fully utilize the facility over the next three years to hit its target of 1.5 lakh units.
Kinetic Engineering has already invested Rs 80 crore in Kinetic Watts and Volts and plans to invest another Rs 177 crores. The investment will primarily be used for working capital requirements and marketing initiatives.