Hero MotoCorp unveiled the Leap Concept a day prior to the 2012 Auto Expo and the company has showcased the production model today. The Hero Leap is India’s first series hybrid scooter which is powered by a lithium-ion battery and an 8 kW (10.73 BHP) electric traction motor with an on-board generator. The engine is an all new 124cc unit which uses belt drive, direct from the motor to the rear wheel. The front uses telescopic forks and a 240 mm disc while the rear is a unit swing with hydraulic dampers and 130 mm drum. The Hero Leap runs on 110/70/13 front tyre and 120/70/11 rear tyre, mounted on alloy wheels.
The Hero Leap uses LEDs for the headlamp (which is a projector), position lamp, and stop lamp. It is 1884 mm long, 850 mm wide with a height of 1162 mm. The wheelbase of the Hero Leap is 1347 mm while the ground clearance is 140 mm. The Hero Leap weighs a heavy 140 kgs and the fuel tank capacity is 3-litres. The scooter is underpinned by a steel tubular frame. The battery and motor are placed in a such a way that the scooter has a low centre of gravity for improved agility. The Permanent magnet AC (PMAC) delivers an outstanding 60 Nm of torque right from 0 RPM.
The Leap’s motor is of course very silent and the top speed is 100 km/hr when used with a range extender. The final drive of the Hero Leap is through a high-tech toothed belt which uses reinforced super strength fibre and needs no maintenance or adjustment, it lasts the life time of the vehicle. The Hero Leap uses fuel injection and also has regenerative braking. The tyres are of premium quality, Hero claims. The Hero Leap gets Finite Element Analysis (FEA) optimised wheel design for high strength and low weight, enabling improved handling characteristics. The Leap has a combined range of more than 340 kms on electric and petrol modes.
