Recently a launch event by Honda Activa was conducted to introduce the Activa H-Smart variant in the market. In this particular event, only the CEO of Honda Activa Atsushi Ogata confirmed the launch of the company’s EV next year.
Electric Scooters are grabbing a lot of attention from customers these days, therefore it was suspected that to maintain its level of popularity Honda Activa might introduce an electric version of their scooters in the market.
According to RushLane, this information was given by HMSI President, Managing Director, and CEO Ogata in the press conference that HMSI is planning to introduce its first electric scooter in January 2024.
“We are locally developing our electric two-wheelers in close coordination with Honda’s teams in Japan. We aim to be ready with the first scooter around the same time next year, definitely within FY23-24,” Ogata said at the launch event of the Honda H- smart variant.
Going contrary to what its competitors are doing, Activa Electric will be focusing more on reliability. Ogata says that EV Activa Electric will target users with limited running.
What new features you will get to experience with Honda Activa Electric Scooter?
Activa Electric will have a top speed of 50 mph, which is below the prevailing industry average of around 80-100 kph. It will have a fixed battery setup, which will reduce the risk of incidents like a fire caused by mishandling. Hardware such as suspension and braking setup could also be shared to keep costs down. It is going to be based on a transplanted electric powertrain replacing the engine.
Following the Activa EV Honda has plans to launch a second electric scooter in India based on a completely new platform. This second model will boast a swappable battery set-up and offer high performance in line with other electric scooters available in the market. HMSI says it will manufacture electric motors in-house and will also set up battery swapping stations across all its 6000 consumer touch points in the country before the second e-scooter is rolled out. Honda is focusing on developing India-specific products and achieving a high level of localization. Parts like battery packs and e-motor are expected to be sourced locally.
Though according to the CEO, “ Customers with limited running will opt for an Activa EV they would still want to own an ICE Activa for traveling longer.”
