Honda teases electric motor for upcoming electric scooter in fresh teaser

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has dropped a fresh teaser for its upcoming electric scooter. The new teaser shows the electric motor on the upcoming offering, which appears to be a swingarm-mounted unit. Most premium electric scooters in the segment use a mid-drive permanent magnetic synchronous (PMS) motor. However, there are plenty of e-scooters that use BLDC hubs and swingarm-mounted motors.

New Honda Electric Scooter: Activa E?

Swingarm-mounted motors are seen on electric scooters like the Bajaj Chetak and Vida V1 and it seems Honda is following the same strategy for its upcoming electric scooter. Dubbed the Activa Electric, the new offering is expected to be targeted towards the family buyer, which would explain why Honda has opted for a mid-performance setup.

The upcoming Honda electric scooter is likely to all-LED lighting and possibly a host of connected features as well

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The upcoming Honda electric scooter is likely to all-LED lighting and possibly a host of connected features as well

Using a swingarm-mounted motor reduces the complexity of manufacturing and also reduces power transfer losses, which come with a belt-drive or chain-drive PMS motor. The simplification also helps in keeping the overall costs low, which is crucial to making a mark in the e-scooter space. Unlike the hub motors which are mounted directly on the rear wheel, a swingarm-mounted motor is easier to handle, especially in case of a puncture, where tending to the rear wheel is much simpler. Swingarm-mounted motors are also easy to replicate on other electric offerings, which means Honda’s electric vehicle platform could spawn motor products with the same mechanicals in the future.

The teaser further shows another glimpse of the LED headlamp and the seat on the new electric scooter. Details on the features are unknown but the upcoming Honda electric scooter is likely to pack all the essentials including a digital console, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation and more. It’ll be interesting to see how the company packages the Activa E, especially with most manufacturers offering the connected tech via optional packs.

Given the swingarm-mounted motor, Honda could price its electric scooter attractively compared to rivals. The company is eyeing the mass-market electric two-wheeler segment, which is led by Ola Electric, Bajaj and TVS. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly the brand can scale up its scooters in terms of availability across the country.

Honda Electric Mobility Plans

Honda announced in 2023 that it is setting up a dedicated EV manufacturing facility at its Narsapura plant in Karnataka. The new plant will have an annual production capacity of one million units by 2030. The upcoming electric scooter will be based on a new platform that will spawn swappable battery and fixed battery-powered electric scooters. The brand’s first electric scooter is expected to get a fixed battery, while the swappable battery option could be for more commercial applications powered by the Honda Mobile Power Pack e. Honda also announced that it plans to equip its existing network of over 6,000 touchpoints with charging stations.

We expect to learn more about Honda’s electric product plans and availability at the unveiling on November 27, 2024. Make sure to keep watching this space for all the action.

Check out Upcoming EV Bikes in India.