Chery unveils Grow C3, an electric cruiser bike that uses a petrol engine to generate power

Buyers of electric bikes worry most about two things: how far the bike will go on one charge, and what happens if the battery runs out on a long ride. Chinese vehicle maker Chery has offered a different answer to this problem. Under its new brand Cinnox, the company has unveiled an electric cruiser bike called the Grow C3 and an electric scooter with an adventure design.

Both two-wheelers were shown at a technology event in Wuhu, China. According to the company's claim, the adventure electric scooter can deliver a range of 150 to 200 km on a single charge. The Grow C3 is drawing attention for its distinct powertrain technology. Chery is not focused only on making electric scooters; it also wants to build a separate identity in the two-wheeler market through the Cinnox brand.

The Grow C3 has an electric motor to drive the wheels, while a petrol engine will be used to generate electricity. On long rides, the need to depend only on charging stations may therefore be reduced. The company is describing the bike as the world's first AI-powered range-extended intelligent cruiser. But this is the company's own claim, and the full technical details of the bike have not yet been made public.

It uses EREV, or Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, technology. In this technology, an electric motor turns the wheels and a petrol engine generates electricity, which charges the battery. In an ordinary petrol bike the engine drives the wheels directly, but in the Grow C3 the main job of the petrol engine will be to generate electricity. A similar arrangement is also seen in range-extender cars.

The company has so far not disclosed the Grow C3's engine capacity, electric motor power, battery capacity, fuel tank size or total range. It is therefore unclear for now how many kilometres the bike will run on a tank of petrol and a fully charged battery.

The bike is meant not only for everyday city rides but also for long touring and camping. It has a V2L, or Vehicle-to-Load, feature. This allows some outside electrical equipment to be run on the bike's battery power. Lights and other compatible devices can be powered while camping or on a long journey. In some situations, the need to carry a separate generator may also be reduced.

The company has presented the Grow C3 as an AI-powered connected bike, but no official information has been given on which AI features the actual production model will have. It is also unclear which connectivity and software features will be offered, and whether OTA, or Over-the-Air, updates will be available. The bike's real performance can be judged only after details of motor power, battery capacity, charging time and total range with petrol are released.

There has been talk of Chery's entry into India before. Reports had also recently emerged of it entering the Indian market through a partnership with JSW. But the company has not yet made any official announcement about entering India. There is also no firm information on whether the Grow C3 bike or the company's adventure electric scooter will be launched in India. It would therefore be premature to draw any conclusion on their launch date, price and sales in India.