Yamaha is betting big on the scooter segment. So much that, of the 5 lakh two-wheelers that the company is hoping to sell this year, it expects two lakh units to be scooters.
The Japanese two-wheeler maker entered the space only in September last , with the launch of its ‘Ray’ range, a segment that is dominated by Hero and Honda.
“The scooter segment alone is growing at over 20 per cent, compared to the 10-11 per cent growth of the overall industry. While I can’t reveal information about future launches, we are definitely going to be much stronger in this segment,” said Roy Kurian, National Business Head, India Yamaha Motors.
“Nearly 40 – 45 per cent, of our target of 1 million units by 2015 will come from scooters. The ‘Ray’, while used by women who are looking to become increasingly independent and mobile, is also something the entire family can use,” he added.
The company’s upcoming plant near Chennai, which it announced last year, would start production in 2014, and take Yamaha’s total capacity up to 2.8 million units from the current 1 million.
In an attempt to boost sales, Yamaha also launched its ‘Yamaha Female Riding Training Program’ here.
“Studies show that whatever bikes or scooters customers train on, they are more likely to buy,” said Mr. Kurian.
