Hero Motors sign MoU with KPIT Technologies to set up Centre of Excellence for Light Electric Vehicles

New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): HMC E-Valley Pvt Ltd (HIVE), the electric mobility-focused manufacturing arm of Hero Motors Company (HMC), has signed a memorandum of understanding with KPIT Technologies Ltd to establish an independent centre of excellence in Delhi-NCR aimed at accelerating the development of light electric vehicles (LEVs) OEMs.
The centre of excellence will provide design and engineering services to global makers of micro-mobility and L-category electric vehicles, including e-bicycles, e-scooters and other lightweight electric platforms.
Pankaj Munjal, CMD, Hero Motors Company (HMC Group) told ANI on Friday, "There is no ceiling of this partnership. There is no roof I can think of and there is no milestone. (With this partnership, I think) We should win around 10% of the world market in the future in LEV segment."
Talking on what the future holds for the partnership, he said, "KPIT and HMC have the story to write and we will get to know each other in couple of months and see how are we complementing each other."
The move comes as cities worldwide grapple with congestion, pollution and the need for cleaner transport options, driving rapid growth in micromobility solutions that address short-distance, first- and last-mile travel, an official statement from HMC said today.
Under the agreement, HIVE will leverage its capabilities in business development, customer engagement, prototyping and manufacturing enablement, while KPIT, which specialises in mobility software and engineering, will lead solution design, engineering delivery, programme management, detailed vehicle design and software and systems integration.
"The light electric vehicle industry is at a pivotal juncture, demanding a fusion of cutting-edge hardware and smart software," said Munjal.
He said the partnership reflects HIVE's intent to play a larger global role in developing sustainable micromobility solutions.
KPIT Chief Executive and Managing Director Kishor Patil said intelligent software and seamless integration would increasingly define the future of mobility, even in smaller vehicle categories.
"The future of mobility, even at the micromobility level, is defined by intelligent software and seamless systems integration. KPIT's deep domain expertise in mobility technology will be crucial in equipping the Center of Excellence to develop world-class, cost-effective, and safe LEV platforms," Patil said.
Speaking with the ANI, Patil said about the MoU "The highlight of the day is our partnership with HMC. This is an exciting phase for us. We have been focus on mobility and we believe that micro mobility is the significant part of the mobility. Almost 50% travel is in the micro mobility sector. "
This partnership is firstly global in scope and secondly is designed to create end-to-end capabilities for the rapidly growing Light EV segment. The CoE will leverage HIVE's strengths in business development, client engagement, prototyping, and manufacturing enablement, while KPIT will lead solutioning, engineering delivery, program management, detailed design, and software/systems integration.
With key competencies of HIVE like it's scalable manufacturing excellence and supply chain efficiencies with KPIT's AI infused mobility solutions and operational management, this partnership aims to pace up the development of next-generation, high-quality LEV solutions for customers worldwide.
HMC HIVE is a focused global platform for e-bikes and light electric mobility solutions, offering end-to-end capabilities from product design and engineering in alliance with KPIT Technologies, to industrialisation and scalable manufacturing.
It is located in Ludhiana and serves leading international and Indian OEMs as a pureplay White-label contract manufacturer using deep EV know-how, robust quality systems, and an integrated supplier ecosystem to deliver faster time-to-market and reliable, cost-competitive products.
KPIT is shaping the future of mobility, forging ahead with group companies and partners to shape a world that is cleaner, smarter, and safer.
With over 25 years of specialized expertise in Mobility, KPIT is accelerating the transformation towards Software and AI-Defined Vehicles through its advanced solutions, platforms, and products--propelled by mobility-infused AI frameworks, software craftsmanship, and systems integration mastery. (ANI)