Recent patents show that Honda is working on a home charger for its Mobile Power Pack swappable battery system.
- The home charger can top up one battery pack at a time
- Another version of the charger can charge two battery packs simultaneously
- Some Honda electric two-wheelers may launch in India in the future
Honda upcoming electric two-wheelers
After years of tip-toeing around the edges, Honda recently announced that it was finally diving into the world of electric two-wheelers and getting serious about putting new models into production. It said that it will introduce three new electric models by 2024. We now know that the first will be a 50cc-equivalent electric moped, and the other two will be a scooter and a motorcycle aimed at the 125cc performance region.
While these do seem to be rather modest vehicles, it's a good place to start for Honda. Urban, utilitarian machines like this are more likely to be accepted by commuters, than an electric sport bike is to be accepted by enthusiasts. The humble output figures will also mean that Honda doesn't need gargantuan battery packs to keep them going.
Honda home charging system
Instead, it can use its swappable Mobile Power Pack system that's already in use on its PCX Electric e-scooter. It plans to expand this platform by setting up more battery-swapping stations, and patents show that Honda is also working on a home charger for these battery packs. While the chargers to be used at swapping stations will juice up two battery packs simultaneously, the home charger will only accommodate a single one at a time.
A sloped bed uses rails to guide the battery pack into its desired position. Once there, a lever at the front of the charger needs to be pulled up. This action simultaneously locks the battery pack in place and, via a linkage, pushes the charger's connectors into the slots on the battery pack, eliminating the need to fumble about plugging it in yourself.
Honda electric plans for India
The Japanese giant has also entered a consortium with Yamaha, KTM and Piaggio to co-develop a swappable battery platform, so it's likely that its own Mobile Power Pack system will develop over time and become more universal.
All these announcements are good news for India too. A 125cc-equivalent e-scooter and e-motorcycle are just the sort of thing that Honda could use in India, to take on the likes of Ather, Revolt, the Bajaj Chetak and the TVS iQube. With KTM and Husqvarna also planning to introduce electric models in India in the future, there could be fruitful collaborations on the battery infrastructure front. Interesting times lie ahead.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
