The joint venture company, Hero Ultra Pvt Ltd., will most likely come into effect from January 2008, and would launch around three e-scooters within the coming six months. (See:Hero Group announces joint venture with UK''s Ultra Motor, launches two new electric scooters)

According to Joe Bowman, CEO, Ultra Motors, the offerings are likely to be high-powered scooters, capable of a maximum speed of 100 kmph, up from the current maximum of 70 kmph.

India is also going to be the first market for Ultra Motors'' hybrid three-wheeler that would be operated on battery, with a CNG or diesel variant. The launch is tentatively scheduled for about 15 months, given the time involved in the homologation process.

The company has introduced two electric scooters, Velociti and Optima, priced at Rs29,000 and Rs34,000 respectively. The company at present offers six electric scooters with prices starting at Rs14,400.

The company is looking at selling around 60,000 units this fiscal, according to Deba Ghoshal, Ultra Motors director for marketing in India. The company has 57 Hero Ultra dealers spanning the northern and western regions of the country, with plans to grow this network to 150 outlets by the end of this fiscal.