- Honda confirms its first electric scooter will come with a fixed battery in FY2024
- The second electric scooter will get swappable battery technology
- New dedicated Platform ‘E’ for EVs, production facility and network of 6,000+ battery swapping stations
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India have finally spoken up about their EV ambitions in India. The company plans to launch its first electric scooter with a fixed battery in FY24 (April 2023 – March 2024) and follow it up with another electric scooter with a swappable battery towards the end of 2024. Both these models will be made in India. Honda aims to set up a dedicated EV’s only factory in Karnataka and intends to expand its battery-swapping stations to its 6,000+ touchpoints network.
Honda Activa Electric and more coming 2024 onwards
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India have devised an elaborate plan to enter the EV industry in the country and ideated and covered the most crucial bases – manufacturing, product and support. The Japanese two-wheeler giant plans to cater to the electric two-wheeler market by setting up a dedicated EV production facility at its Narsapura plant in Karnataka which will be christened Factory ‘E’. The company will manufacture its electric motors in-house and has plans to produce 1 million units by 2030. Batteries and power control units will be locally sourced from Honda’s associate suppliers.
Honda will deploy its new Platform E architecture that will underpin upcoming Honda electric two-wheelers. The new underpinnings are likely to be customisable and will accommodate a variety of powertrain arrangements. The first product from Honda will debut in FY2024 and is expected to be called the Honda Activa Electric. This EV will get a fixed battery setup. Honda is also referring to it as a “mid-range” product which could mean that the EV could compete with more frugal alternatives such as the Ola S1 Air when it launches. This will be followed up by a second electric scooter towards the end of 2024 which will come with swappable battery technology.
Honda’s third base, support, will also play a key role in the company’s attempt to make an entrance into the electric two-wheeler industry. Honda is aiming to set up battery-swapping stations across its 6,000+ touchpoints scattered all over the country. It also plans to convert service centres to work on EVs only and will be termed as Workshop ‘E’. Customers will also get the flexibility to charge their fixed-battery EVs at such workshops. Honda’s battery swapping centres are limited to 23 outlets in Bengaluru as company’s Phase 1 plan. The company intends to move on to Phase 2 of the plan which will see the expansion of this network to other southern Indian states. Eventually, this network will be implemented across other states in the country.
