Musashi Starts Production Of Electric Two-wheeler E-axles In India

A two-wheeler and four-wheeler transmission components manufacturer in India and a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of Musashi Seimitsu Industries, Japan, Musashi Auto Parts has commenced the mass production of EV two-wheeler e-axles in India. The e-axles will be manufactured at the Musashi India’s production facility in Bangalore and the line-off ceremony was held at their facility on 5 June to celebrate the start of mass production.

Musashi has set-up capacity to produce 10,000 e-axles per month in phase 1. This will be ramped up by the addition of additional lines from the third year onwards. Envisaged as a compatible drive unit that can be easily integrated into EV two wheelers, these e-axles will be compact, lightweight, and quiet that will be integral in delivering higher performance, range and a better riding experience for users.

Talking about the development, Naoya Nishimura, CEO of India & Africa Region, stated, “Our production lines are equipped with state-of-the-art technologies that will ensure a seamless integration across the assembly line, ensuring increased efficiencies and production output. With the rapid growth of EV two-wheelers in India, the need to build a local and robust ecosystem of EV components is imperative. At Musashi, our goal is to contribute to the growth of this ecosystem by combining our legacy and expertise in manufacturing auto components with our R&D capabilities to deliver cutting-edge, high performance EV drive units to the burgeoning EV industry in India.”

Musashi plans to invest a total of Rs. 160 crore in its electric vehicle (EV) business in Phase I. This investment has been allocated to establishing new assembly lines for EV transmission components and upgrading existing facilities. The company forayed into the EV segment in India in September 2023, by announcing a joint venture with Delta Electronics, Inc. and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, to establish Musashi Delta e-Axle India. With a 51 per cent stake in the JV, Musashi set-up the facility in Bangalore to manufacture and sell e-Axles for two-wheeler EVs in the Indian, African & ASEAN market. Consisting of a motor assembly line and a drive unit assembly line, Musashi plans to achieve a localisation level of 2/3rd of the total cost by the end of this financial year.

Musashi India is also working with BNC Motors to develop products equipped with EV drive units. These units will be used in BNC's upcoming EV two-wheeler that will be equivalent to a 125cc ICE scooter.