The Indian two-wheeler industry has been witnessing a surge of EVs (electric vehicles), thanks to the soaring petrol prices. The major two-wheeler manufacturers including Hero, Honda, TVS and Bajaj ready to roll out a range of electric bikes and scooters to tap the market. Yamaha Motor India will also join the EV bandwagon with the new Neo e-scooter that’s already on sale in select global markets. Speaking to an online media publication, Eishin Chihana, Chariman, Yamaha India, has revealed that the company currently conducting extensive durability testes of an electric scooter platform for India.
While the thermal management testing procedure will take a little long, the Japanese two-wheeler maker will initially import the Yamaha Neo electric scooter in the country. The battery pack and electric motor of the vehicle will be retuned to meet Indian riding conditions. In order to achieve competitive pricing, the company will also make use of local suppliers. Earlier, Yamaha confirmed that its new electric scooters will start arrive in India by 2025.
The Yamaha Neo, which is equivalent to a 50cc scooter, has a hub motor delivering power around 2kW. The e-scooter has swappable batteries. The company says that the Neo offers a range of 68km. It has been equipped with the LED lighting, a fully digital LCD instrument console with Smartphone connectivity, smart key integration, telescopic front and monoshock rear suspension. The Yamaha electric scooter offers a 27-litre storage space under the seat.
In other updates, the Japanese two-wheeler maker is planning to re-introduce the iconic Yamaha RX100 motorcycle with modern design and bigger displacement engine. The company says the new RX100 “should be an impactful package with powerful engine and design”. While its details are scanty as of now, the bike is likely to come with the Yamaha R15 V4’s 155cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. The all-new Yamaha RX100 India launch is likely to happen after 2026.
