Honda to launch first electric scooter in India next year, plans more EVs later

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India is planning to launch its first electric scooter in the country next year. The two-wheeler manufacturer has confirmed that the upcoming model will be launched in India by March, 2024. The upcoming electric scooter will be the first in a long list of EVs Honda is planning for the domestic market at a time when the sale of electric two-wheelers, especially scooters, has seen dramatic rise in the past couple of years. Honda made the announcement on Monday, on the sidelines of the launch of its latest model - the Activa 6G H-Smart scooter.

Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President and CEO at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said the two-wheeler manufacturer plans to come up with charging infrastructure to support its EV roadmap for India. "We are looking to launch the first electric model in March 2024... it is being developed on a completely new platform and is based on the requirements of the Indian market," Ogata was quoted by news agency PTI.

Ogata added that the EV that will be launched first will have a fixed battery, while the second one will be offered with swappable battery technology. The company also plans to utilise its 6,000 outlets across India to set up charging infrastructure for its EVs. While the first model will be launched by March next year, the subsequent models are expected to hit the Indian shores in a short span of time. Ogata said, "It will not be far away from the launch of the first model. So in a very short period, we will launch new products."

Honda did not share details about its investment into its EV business in India. The segment is currently led by its rival Hero with newer players like Ola Electric, Okinawa also having large shares. Honda is currently the leader in the scooter segment with a market share of 56 per cent. The two-wheeler manufacturer also plans to foray into the the motorcycle segment with the introduction of a 100cc bike next month.