Gogoro arrives in India with battery swapping stations, electric scooter
E-scooter and battery-swapping giant Gogoro is making a significant expansion into India, by introducing a new locally-produced electric scooter, the Gogoro CrossOver GX250. The company has successfully run a pilot program here to test the market and is now also set to bring its battery-swapping GoStations to the country. Gogoro's Founder and CEO Horace Luke said that the GX250 "captures the best of Gogoro's new CrossOver Smartscooters while integrating India-specific features that Gogoro pilot riders in India requested."
Features of the Gogoro CrossOver GX250
Gogoro CrossOver GX250, produced in Maharashtra, is designed for various road surfaces. It delivers more ground clearance than any other vehicle in the company's lineup. It features an all-terrain frame for increased rigidity, strength, and stability. The scooter has been optimized for the Indian market, with each component designed and inspected accordingly. Luke mentioned that even the horn was designed for Indian riders, as "they use the horn here like radar, it's constantly on. So it has to be good!"
Battery swapping model and expansion plans
Unlike India's grid-charged electric scooters, Gogoro's battery-swapping model allows riders to swap depleted batteries at a station within seconds, providing immediate full charge. The company aims to replicate its success in Taiwan, where it supports 600,000 riders with over 1.3 million smart batteries through 12,000 battery-swapping stations. CrossOver GX250 will initially be available to B2B buyers in Delhi and Goa, with plans to roll out in Pune and Mumbai in H1 2024 and consumer availability in Q2 next year.
Partnership with FutureEV and expansion into Nepal
Gogoro has also announced a partnership with FutureEV to launch a tourist-oriented scooter-sharing service in Goa, exclusively via Gogoro Smartscooters. The pilot will begin on December 25, 2023, with a commercial launch likely in the first quarter of 2024. FutureEV plans to deploy 10,000 Smartscooters, including the CrossOver GX250, by 2025. Additionally, Gogoro has partnered with Nebula Energy, a subsidiary of Nepal's MG Group, to launch battery swapping and Smartscooters in Nepal, further expanding its international footprint.
Gogoro's global presence and growth
With the introduction of CrossOver GX250 and battery-swapping GoStations in India, Gogoro continues to expand its presence worldwide. The company already operates in Taiwan, Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, China, Israel, and now India. As CEO Horace Luke stated, "We are at the cusp of a dramatic change in the global urban transportation landscape." India's vast market of over 250 million two-wheelers positions it well to lead the shift toward sustainable transportation.
