At the launch of its new Shine 100 commuter bike, Honda has revealed that it will be announcing its electric two-wheeler plans for India on March 29.
- First EV product to be launched next year
- Likely to be an electric scooter
- Long-term aim is to use swappable batteries
While Honda hasn’t revealed exactly what its first electric two-wheeler will be, it’s almost certain that it will take the form of an electric scooter. We have already uncovered patents that show that the company is working on an e-scooter based on the Activa. Moreover, Honda’s president, MD and CEO, Atsushi Ogata, revealed at the launch event of the Activa H-Smart that it will introduce its first electric scooter by March 2024.
There is a chance that we could see an early prototype version of this e-scooter when Honda announces its plans in a couple of weeks’ time. And while it’s possible that this first offering could feature a fixed battery pack, Honda has stated that its long-term goal is to have models featuring removable batteries, supported by a battery swapping network.
This is something that the company already offers overseas with its PCX Electric e-scooter, which uses the Honda Mobile Power Pack removable battery. Honda has set up a business on our shores called Honda Power Pack Energy India, dedicated at establishing and growing the swapping network for these batteries here.
To achieve its electrification goals, Honda first plans to set up a new EV production line at its manufacturing facility in Vithalapur, Gujarat. In the long term, it is expected that its plant at Narsapura, Karnataka will become the base for its EV operations.
Dinshaw Magol
Ved Janve
