Ultraviolette Automotive will invest around Rs. 10 billion (US$ 104.8 million) over the next five years to expand its manufacturing, supply chain and production capabilities as the Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler maker prepares for higher volumes and additional products.

Around Rs. 2 billion of the investment will be deployed at the company's existing Bengaluru, Karnataka, facility, while approximately Rs. 8 billion will go towards a new manufacturing facility at SIPCOT Industrial Park in Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu. The investment will support production across six motorcycle and scooter products.

Known as the BIGGA (Big Global Ambition) Factory, the new facility is being designed for an eventual annual capacity of 500,000 vehicles. Phase one will establish capacity for around 250,000 vehicles annually, with full capacity expected between the first and second quarters of 2027.

"Our current facility is being scaled up to meet a demand of about 50,000 vehicles annually. But this new facility is intended to scale to about 500,000 units annually. With phase one, we will start work to build a capacity of about 250,000 units annually. The facility is expected to reach full capacity between Q1 and Q2 of 2027," said Narayan Subramaniam, Co-founder and CEO of Ultraviolette Automotive.

The expansion will increase production volumes and add scooters and lightweight motorcycles to Ultraviolette's range. The company currently produces the F77 and X47 electric motorcycles and is preparing to add the Shockwave lightweight electric motorcycle and Tesseract electric scooter.

Its product roadmap comprises four electric motorcycles and two scooters. Two motorcycles are currently in production, the Shockwave is due shortly and the fourth motorcycle will be announced later. The Tesseract, the company's first announced electric scooter, is progressing towards commercial production. The company said the expansion into scooters and lightweight motorcycles follows its original product strategy.

"There is no pivot at all. From our first plan in 2017, this was the exact roadmap. We are just going about things in a methodical way. Our first eight to 10 years were focused not only on launching the F77 and X47 but also on developing technology platforms that could eventually underpin a broader range of products," Rajmohan said.

Rajmohan added that the Tesseract is expected to generate demand of at least 10,000 units a month based on pre-bookings and pipeline demand, despite no significant marketing or advertising expenditure.

Ultraviolette also expects electric motorcycle adoption to increase over the next few years as mainstream manufacturers enter the segment.

"We see that the scale for motorcycles will also come up to the level of scooters in the next couple of years. In the next 24 months, we will see this sort of growth," Subramaniam said.

He further added that the Tesseract will feature technologies such as radar-based safety systems at a lower price point than current market offerings.

BIGGA Factory to produce all six products

The Tamil Nadu facility will serve as a flexible manufacturing base for all six products across different vehicle platforms, catering to domestic and international markets.

Ultraviolette's future portfolio will include Sports, Crossover, Cruiser and Street motorcycle segments, in addition to scooters. The BIGGA Factory will manufacture the Tesseract and support future models. Production capacity will be increased to 250,000 vehicles annually in phases, while the infrastructure will allow this to rise to 500,000 units as demand grows. The plant will also house an automated battery production line for packs used across the company's vehicle platforms, ranging from the smaller Tesseract pack to the larger units used in the F77 and X47.

The facility is expected to create approximately 2,000 jobs during its initial phase, with employment increasing over the next five years as operations scale up. The Tamil Nadu government will facilitate land allotment at SIPCOT Industrial Park in Shoolagiri, Hosur. Ultraviolette cited the site's proximity to Bengaluru, its research and development operations and its existing supplier network as factors behind the location.

CTO and Co-founder Niraj Rajmohan said the Hosur location provides access to an established automotive ecosystem and supply chain, while the facility is intended to support the company's expansion into Indian and international markets.

Industry 4.0 systems planned at Hosur plant

The BIGGA Factory is being developed around Industry 4.0 manufacturing principles. A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) will enable real-time production tracking and traceability, while digital lean manufacturing and digital quality systems will also be used.

Planned automation includes collaborative robots for sorting, welding and assembly, automated assembly fool-proofing and vision-based inspection systems to support production precision, consistency and efficiency. A specialised test track will be used to evaluate vehicles before dispatch. The facility is designed to allow Tesseract production to increase progressively while providing manufacturing infrastructure for future products.

Export and localisation plans

Ultraviolette expects exports to account for around 15% of volumes initially, rising to approximately 25% over time.

"We are targeting markets across Europe, Latin America and North America, while also beginning pilot programmes in Southeast Asia, and we already have a presence in close to 20 European countries," Subramaniam said.

The company is also seeking to increase supply chain localisation. It currently imports a limited number of key commodities, including battery cells, microcontrollers and chips, and certain magnet materials.

"We do see that an India supply chain is starting to evolve and we're starting to see samples coming in from different partners and different vendors on all of these three," Subramaniam said.

The company expects full localisation across its vehicle supply chain within the next three to four years as domestic suppliers develop capabilities in these areas. Despite the planned production increase, Ultraviolette said profitability remains a core consideration. Its strategy of developing key technologies in-house is intended to reduce dependence on external technology suppliers.

"We have always kept profitability as a core factor, which is why the approach was in-house technology. We have very low dependency on external core technology suppliers," Subramaniam added.

The BIGGA Factory will operate alongside the existing Bengaluru facility, which will continue its current operations while the Tamil Nadu plant provides additional capacity for the Tesseract and future products.