Photo by Stefan Lehner on Unsplash
Indian startup Ultraviolette just secured $21 million in new funding — and they’re not keeping it local. With fresh backing from TDK Corporation, the Bengaluru-based company is accelerating its global ambition: premium electric motorcycles made in India, but built for the world.
From Bengaluru to Europe, and Beyond
I’ve been watching Ultraviolette for a while — and the duo behind it, Narayan Subramaniam and Niraj Rajmohan, are the kind of founders who get things done. Childhood friends turned co-founders, they started back in 2016 when India’s electric two-wheeler market was all about low-speed models mostly imported from China. Instead of joining that race, they had a different idea: what if an electric motorcycle could actually be fun to ride?
Now in 2024, their flagship F77 Mach 2 and the street-ready F77 SuperStreet are already on roads in 10 European countries. With this latest funding round — led by TDK’s corporate venture arm alongside current investors like Zoho Corporation and Lingotto — the company plans to expand even further.
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash
Here’s what they’re aiming for:
- A fourfold expansion across Europe
- Pilots in Latin America and Southeast Asia starting next year
- A lineup of 14 different models by early 2027
- Entry into the US and Japanese markets down the line
What Makes These Bikes Different?
If you’re picturing a slow, utility-first scooter, forget it.
Ultraviolette’s bikes are built to rival 150cc to 800cc combustion engine motorcycles — think performance, not just practicality. The F77’s commercial version clocks over 186 miles of range and hits a top speed of 96 mph, thanks to its 30kW power motor and 100Nm torque. That’s not your average e-scooter — it’s built to ride like a real bike and feel like one too.
They also build nearly everything in-house: embedded software, battery packs, motor controllers, and even diagnostics systems. The bikes come with eSIMs, self-monitoring health checks, and companion apps that alert you to things like — yes — when the chain needs lube.
It’s personal, techy, and quite smart.
Building a Lifestyle Brand, Not Just a Bike
Photo by Stefan Lehner on Unsplash
When Rajmohan talked to early Tesla owners back in 2015, something clicked. It wasn’t just about EVs being cleaner or cheaper. “Owning them was seen as progressive. It was a lifestyle statement,” he said.
He and Subramaniam have tried to bottle that same feeling with Ultraviolette. The name even reflects the vibe — “Ultra” for cutting-edge, and “Violette” because it’s pronounced similarly across over 30 European languages.
That global-first mindset shows. Unlike other Indian EV players focused on local affordability, Ultraviolette went after European certification early and priced their bikes with a stretch — starting around ₹175,000 ($2,000) and going up to nearly $10,000. For markets where two-wheelers are a necessity, not a luxury, it’s a bold move.
Where Things Stand Today
Ultraviolette is still a growth-stage company, but momentum is real:
- 3,000+ bikes sold in India so far
- Targeting 10,000 units by end of year
- A projection of $50 million in revenue this financial year
- 20 existing stores in India, aiming for 100 by March
- 40 dealers already signed on in Europe
- Bengaluru plant producing 30,000 units, with plans to scale to 60,000… and eventually 300,000
And for a taste of what’s next, there’s the Tesseract — a scooter equipped with front and rear radar and cameras, offering assisted-driving features and blindspot detection. It costs about ₹145,000 ($1,650), and shows Ultraviolette isn’t just sticking to motorcycles.
Why This Matters
India makes up about 40% of global motorcycle sales — that’s huge. But electric adoption is still just around 7.7%. Ultraviolette saw the writing on the wall: go global first, keep building great bikes, and let the rest follow.
They might just be right.
With serious funding behind them, a vision rooted in performance and design, and a growing international footprint, Ultraviolette isn’t just another EV startup. They’re out to prove India can build electric motorcycles the world wants.
And they’re already on their way.
Keywords: Indian startup, Ultraviolette, electric motorcycles, TDK Corporation, global expansion, performance, lifestyle brand, EV market.
