Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is getting ready to foray into the electric two-wheeler segment that’s currently dominated by Ola, Ather and TVS. Atsushi Ogata, the company’s President, MD and CEO, has confirmed that the first Honda electric scooter will hit roads by March 2024. It will be followed by a one more electric scooter based on an all-new platform. The second Honda electric scooter will be a premium offering with a swappable battery and better performance. Honda’s first EV will be based on its top-selling Activa scooter.
The two-wheeler maker has confirmed that the Honda Activa electric will come with a fixed battery pack and deliver a top speed of 50kph. As of now, details of the model are scanty. Though, it’s likely to share a strong visual resemblance with its ICE counterpart. The Activa electric might also share its suspension and braking system with the ICE-based version. The latter one comes with the telescopic front and a 3-step adjustable rear suspension. Braking duties are done by the 130mm front and rear drum brakes.
The Honda Activa electric could be packed with features such as LED headlamp and analogue odometer, speedometer and tachometer. At present, the Activa model lineup comes in three variants – Standard, Deluxe and Smart – priced at Rs 74,536, Rs 77,036 and Rs 80,537 respectively. The Activa electric will surely be more expensive than its ICE counterpart.
The Japanese two-wheeler maker has revealed that it will manufacture electric motors in-house in India. In fact, the company has been working on localization of the e-motor and battery from the past few months. In order to strengthen its manufacturing infrastructure, HMSI will make major investments to produce ICE-powered and electric two-wheelers in the same facility in fiscal year 2023-24. The company also aims to set up battery swapping stations across all its touchpoints before the market launch of its second upcoming electric scooter.
