TVS is one of India’s biggest and most popular motorcycle manufacturers. The company, through its racing subsidiary TVS Racing, has just announced the launch of India’s first-ever electric two-wheeler racing series. The popularity of electric motorcycles has been skyrocketing in India and other neighboring countries, and it’s interesting to see more and more motorsports initiatives surrounding electric two-wheelers.
As for TVS’ initiative, it’s called the TVS Racing Electric One Make Championship, or e-OMC. The racing series will center around a new electric motorcycle platform developed by TVS exclusively for the racing series. Dubbed the Apache RTE, the fully electric sportbikes will all be equally specced, which means that eking out a victory will be more about rider skill than anything else.
As for the bikes, the purpose-built racing machines that TVS claims offer the highest power-to-weight ratio available. Although it doesn’t disclose power figures, TVS says that the bikes are powered by a liquid-cooled electric motor with a liquid-cooled controller. Furthermore, the battery pack is constructed out of so-called “high-power” cells. While all that sounds very abstract, what we can see from the images of the bike paint a better picture of its performance. For example, it gets Öhlins suspension, as well as large radially mounted Brembo brakes and Pirelli Corsa tires. The fairing is also made entirely of carbon fiber.
The new TVS e-OMC will make its debut during the fourth round of the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC). Racing is set to start on September 29, 2023, and eight racers chosen by TVS will compete for the title.
In a press release, Sudarshan Venu, the Managing Director of TVS Motor Company, explained the brand’s rich racing heritage, “TVS Motor has been championing racing ever since we started India’s first factory racing team. TVS Racing has been instrumental in making motorsports aspirational yet accessible for enthusiasts across the country. Many of the technologies that we pioneered in our racing machines have made way to our production vehicles, giving shape to our ‘track to road’ philosophy."
Meanwhile, Vimal Sumbly, the head of TVS’ premium business stated, “TVS Racing takes great pride in being the propagators of offering a platform for racers to hone and showcase their skills and follow their passion for racing. We have been the frontrunners in the segment, whether it was pioneering the TVS OMC in India in 1994, and expanding it in women’s and rookie class, or being the first Indian manufacturer to foray with the Asia One Make Championship or participate in the Dakar Rally.”
