Bengaluru-based EV startup River is evaluating setting up a new manufacturing facility as it prepares to scale up operations and support its upcoming product pipeline.
1. River is currently operating at a production run rate of around 10,000 units per month
2. For its new unit, River is considering Narasapura, which houses other OEMs like Honda
3. River is also working on multiple new models, codenamed RX02 and RX03
River evaluating new manufacturing plant
Besides its own volumes, River is expected to cater to the Yamaha EC-06’s production
Sources said the proposed facility will most likely be located close to Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India’s plant, within an established automotive cluster, even as the company continues to explore multiple states.
People familiar with the company’s plans added that the move comes amid rising demand for River’s maiden electric scooter, the Indie, and a steadily expanding product pipeline. The company is currently operating at a production run rate of around 10,000 units per month, translating to roughly 1.20 lakh units annually.
We recently got a chance to visit River’s Hoskote facility and have a conversation with its founders. The brand has already broken into the top seven in recent monthly electric two-wheeler sales. It is close to hitting 3,000 units a month, and the immediate focus is to raise that number to 5,000.
The expansion plans are closely tied to River’s upcoming product roadmap. Sources indicate that the company is working on multiple new models codenamed RX02 and RX03, which are likely to bring in incremental sales.
Taken together, these volumes are expected to stretch the capacity of River’s current manufacturing setup, prompting the need for an additional facility. Narasapura, which houses several automotive manufacturing units, including those of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, is being seen as a strategic location due to its established supplier ecosystem and industrial infrastructure.
In response to a query from our sister concern Autocar Professional, Aravind Mani, co-founder and CEO of River Mobility, said, “We are in talks with other state governments for our next factory. Nothing is finalised yet. We are working on the next round of funding, which we will close this year. We will share all the details once we make the news public.”
In addition to its own volumes, River is expected to cater to the production of the Yamaha EC-06 electric scooter, which could add around 5,000 units annually. Yamaha Motor Co partnered with River in February 2024 to develop and manufacture electric scooters, marking its formal entry into India’s electric two-wheeler market.
The partnership leverages River’s EV design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities to build products for both Indian and global markets. The EC-06, based on River’s Indie platform, will be manufactured by River, while Yamaha will handle retail and aftersales through its existing dealer and service network. “We have delivered the scooters to Yamaha, and they have started retail sales as well,” Mani added.
The River co-founder stated that the company has a capacity to produce one lakh Indie scooters a year at its existing factory and is yet to reach full capacity. But it is clear that plans are afoot to scale up significantly beyond that, hence conversations with multiple state governments for a new factory.
On the new product introduction, Mani said, “It will be launched in the first quarter of 2027; [it] will be a scooter staying true to our Utility Lifestyle model,” without sharing more details, but sources indicate that it is going to be a high-volume product that’ll help the company scale up and utilise the new plant effectively.
With inputs from PRERNA LIDHOO