The Surge S32 by Hero MotoCorp will enter series production within a year. This unique vehicle, which combines a two-wheeler and a three-wheeler, can now be registered under a newly created L2/L5 category. Sources say the company sees a modest potential of 10,000 units per annum, and the model may be ready for a market launch by mid-2025.
To get it certified for registration, Surge and Hero have had to work with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to create a new registration category for the S32. Called ‘L2-5’, this is defined as a “2-Wheeler-3-Wheeler Combi Module of a three-wheeled motor vehicle constructed in such a way that a two-wheeled vehicle of category L2 is combined with a non-self-propelled rear module unit. It can be separated or combined as and when required”.
The Surge 32 has been readied by “Surge”, a startup fully owned by Hero MotoCorp.
The Surge 32 is based on a modular EV platform called S32, which will spawn multiple body styles for various applications. What makes the Surge S32 unique is that it’s designed to quickly and conveniently convert between a two-wheeler and a three-wheeler. Essentially, it comprises a rickshaw without a front wheel, into which an e-scooter slots, and also acts as the front wheel. In this setup, the rear wheel of the e-scooter is off the ground and rests on the rickshaw platform.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
