Ultraviolette Automotive (UV) is charting out an aggressive expansion strategy and plans to open 17 new dealerships in the country this year. The company announced the development on the sidelines of the F77 Mach 2 launch, the improved version of the electric performance motorcycle. The new Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 arrives with significant upgrades to the performance, range and tech, and the company is now looking to set up a wider distribution network which includes five new markets in Europe in 2024.

Speaking to HT Auto, Ultraviolette co-founders Narayan Subramaniam and Niraj Rajmohan revealed that the 17 new experience centres are already underway in the new markets. The company plans to bring its retail experience in two formats. The larger formats will be called the Ultraviolette Space Stations and will come with service facilities, while the smaller test ride zones will be called the UV Space Pods.

Each state or major city will have a larger format store. UV presently has service centres in seven cities and the new expansion will make the brand more accessible to prospective customers. The co-founders also said that there was significant demand from Tier II markets, which would be an area of focus as part of the brand’s expansion plan.

Niraj Rajmohan said, “We are seeing that a lot of Tier II towns and cities have people looking for options and there are a lot of enthusiasts who want these bikes (F77) and they make it a point to travel larger distances to come visit us, talk to us. From Bangalore and beyond. From registrations that are coming in, it’s fair to say that it’s similar to the consumer electronics industry where it is a sizeable portion. This demand will be addressed through space stations and pods."

UV also announced its foray into the European market at EICMA 2023 last November, while it went on to launch the F77 in Turkiye earlier this year. Co-founders Narayan and Niraj further revealed that the brand will now expand across multiple countries in Europe including Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, and Turkey.

“We already have bikes in some of these countries and commercial sales will happen in the next couple of months. Exciting times ahead," said Narayan.

UV says the F77 was always designed to cater to a global audience right from 2016-17. The models are said to be compatible to meet the European standards and need minimal upgrades to meet local regulations. Ultraviolette has opened order books for Europe and deliveries will begin in June this year. The F77 Mach 2 has entered production at the company's facility near Bengaluru, Karnataka.

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