The Indian auto sector is slowly opening up after the lockdown had forced businesses to close down. Most industry experts have pointed out that people will now look to buy four-wheelers to keep themselves safe from the coronavirus. This has created uncertainty among two-wheeler brands, especially those in the electric space. But it seems the demand will pick up slowly and gradually across all segments.
As per new industry report from Autocar, Okinawa sold more electric scooters than its competition after the post lockdown period since May. According to the publication, Okinawa sold over 1,000 since last month, and its total sales numbers over 10,000 units is more than the likes of Hero Electric, Ather and Revolt.
The company was quoted saying because of COVID people might be keen on buying private vehicles (even scooters), and the company is hopeful that demand will pick up further as people start commuting for work and other purposes.
Okinawa during the Q1 FY2021 is claimed to have sold over 800 units every month. This is more than Hero Electric which managed to seel over 617 units, Ather Energy with 242 units and Ampere with 222 units during the same period. However, it’s mentioning that unlike Hero, Okinawa and Ampere, Ather Energy has limited presence in the country, and its products are priced higher than other brands given in the list.
Being a Japanese brand, Okinawa could project its brand appeal against the Chinese operators in the market, especially when the calls for Boycott China in the country are quite high. Having said that, pushing Chinese vendors out of the market could have a direct impact on Indian brands who still rely on the country for components that are imported and then assembled here.