The headlines at Hero World 2024 were dominated by the highly anticipated Mavrick 440 and the sporty new Xtreme 125R. Despite these highlights, the event featured several smaller attractions, with one of the most intriguing being the Surge S32.
Surge, a startup entirely owned by Hero MotoCorp is situated within HeroHatch, the company’s incubation center. It has dedicated the past few years to developing a modular electric vehicle (EV) platform named the Surge S32.
Taking cues from the ‘Batmobile’ featured in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy, this EV is ingeniously designed to function both as a commercial rickshaw and effortlessly transform into a high-performance scooter suitable for navigating city traffic.
How to Convert Surge S32 from e-rickshaw to e-scooter?
Transforming the Surge S32 from an e-rickshaw to an e-scooter is a quick process that takes only three minutes with the press of a button. Initiating the button triggers the vertical lifting of the front windshield, unveiling the concealed scooter. Simultaneously, the cabin undergoes a rapid transformation, employing a spring-loaded double-swing mechanism.
Innovative Design of Surge S32
The interior of the Surge S32 accommodates a rickshaw structure without a front wheel, where an e-scooter seamlessly fits in, also serving as the front wheel. In this configuration, the rear wheel of the e-scooter is elevated from the ground, resting on the rickshaw platform.
The cabin of the Surge S32 is equipped with features including a windscreen, lighting, optional weather-protective soft doors, LED headlights, indicators, speedometer, switchgear, digital instrumentation, and more.
Surge S32’s Versatile Powertrain
The power output and battery capacity of the Surge vary based on its application, reaching a peak of 6kW for the scooter and 10kW for the rickshaw. Maximum speeds for the two configurations are 60kph and 45kph, respectively.
The platform utilizes removable batteries from Hero’s Vida electric scooter, with the S32 scooter accommodating two packs and the rickshaw housing as many as six (with a minimum of four) packs. Consequently, the scooter’s battery capacity is 3.87kWh, while the rickshaw boasts a capacity of up to 11.62kWh.
Additionally, the rickshaw is designed to carry a maximum load of 500 kg, making it suitable for a variety of commercial operations.
Vehicle Evolution
Initially showcased by Hero as the Quark 1 concept in 2020, the Surge S32 has evolved over the past four years and is now approaching production-ready status. Surge aims to officially launch the S32 later this year.
Surge S32 Spurs New Vehicle Category
In a testament to its groundbreaking innovation, Surge and Hero collaborated with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to establish a unique registration category for the S32. Termed ‘L2 -5,’ this category 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.”
As we eagerly anticipate the official launch of the Surge S32, stay tuned for the latest updates and in-depth insights into the world of electric vehicles. For a comprehensive exploration of the electric vehicle ecosystem, make sure to visit EV Infotain, India’s leading EV blog.