TVS is on a spree to trademark names for its upcoming products and each product name which has surfaced online, is distinctive and unique. It seems like out of all the manufacturers, it is TVS which is burning the midnight oil to develop a host of new products. After registering a trademark for the names ‘Zepplin R’ and ‘Raider’, TVS has now issued another trademark which goes by the name ‘Retron’. Now that another name has surfaced, speculations are ripe again.
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It could either be an electric scooter, a retro-styled version of the Radeon commuter motorcycle or something else entirely. There is one thing which we can be sure about, going by its name is that it is going to be retro-styled.
An electric scooter based on the Creon?
Showcasing its vision of the future mobility solutions for the evolving two-wheeler rider, TVS Motor Company unveiled the TVS CREON concept at the 2018 Auto Expo. TVS CREON was a performance-oriented, electric scooter concept, designed keeping in mind the global dream for a green future and uncompromised performance.
The concept version derived power from 3 state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries capable of delivering 12 kw of power. The batteries were specially designed to ensure a high charge per volume of battery. The TVS CREON featured a next-generation electric motor that propelled this scooter from 0 – 60 kmph in under 5.1 seconds and had a range of 80 km. A rapid charging time of 60 minutes for 80% of full charge is on par with current generation smartphones, leaving little idle time while charging. TVS already has an electric scooter in its portfolio named iQube and if the Retron turns out to be a retro-styled version of the Creon, it will have a more premium price tag as compared to the iQube. It will go against the likes of the Ather 450 X.
Retro-styled Radeon?
Another school of thought suggests that the Retron could be a retro-styled version of the Radeon. It is powered by a 109.7cc, air-cooled engine. In its BS6 iteration, the carburettor is now replaced by a fuel-injection system, as is the norm with all the BS6 compliant engines. The performance figures now stand at 8.08bhp and 8.7Nm. The TVS Radeon gets its stopping power from 130mm drum brakes at both ends along with an optional 240mm disc brake at the front. The Radeon has been fitted with a 10-litre fuel tank.
The TVS Radeon competes against the Hero Splendor iSmart 110 and the Bajaj Platina. The motorcycle is available in two variants – Base and Commuter of the Year (COTY) special edition. The base variant is available in Royal Purple, Pearl White, Golden Beige, Metal Black, Titanium Grey, Volcano Red and now Regal Blue. The COTY Special edition comes in Chrome Black, Chrome Brown and now Chrome Purple. If the Retron turns out to be a retro-styled Radeon, it will remind us of what Hero MotoCorp did with the Splendor classic.
Or something else entirely?
Some reports also suggest that TVS could utilize Apache RTR 160 4V’s platform to carve out a retro-styled motorcycle. If you look at the current crop of 160cc motorcycles, most of them are either naked streetfighters or faired motorcycles. Now that Retro is being considered a new cool, it could be a significant advantage for TVS if it comes up with a 160cc motorcycle with old school genes.