Indian-owned Norton Motorcycles plans UK-built electric range

LONDON: Norton Motorcycles plans to develop and build an electric motorcycle in the UK that it claims will have "racing performance, touring range and lightweight handling,” as part of a 30-month project co-funded by a government program.

The iconic British motorcycle maker, now owned by India’s TVS Motor Co., will work with six UK partners including Delta Cosworth, HiSpeed Ltd. as well as the University of Warwick to develop the product, Norton said Friday.

The project won government funding from the UK program that assists automotive companies to develop low-carbon products.

The plan, which Norton claims will create a "significant” number of manufacturing and research and development jobs, is a rare shot in the arm for the UK automotive industry which has grappled with declining production amid a global shift towards electric mobility.

Last month, Bloomberg News reported that Jaguar Land Rover were in talks with Northvolt AB and SVolt Energy Technology Co. about supplying batteries for a range of EVs it may assemble in Slovakia.

"We’re confident that project Zero Emission Norton will eliminate the current dispute between a conventional and electric motorcycle to create EV products that riders desire,” said Norton chief executive officer Robert Hentschel in the statement.