Honda SC e: Concept
With mainstream two-wheeler manufacturers having slowly begun transitioning towards electrification, the big three from Japan have been noticeably silent all along. Honda will be the first to break the deadlock though as it will be bringing in two all-new zero-emission scooters to India. Here are all the known details:
The Japanese auto major is planning to enter the electric two-wheeler space next year and both e-scooters will be developed from scratch and they will sit on a brand new dedicated EV architecture. Internally codenamed Platform ‘E’, it will be modular and flexible enough to underpin a range of two-wheelers carrying different electric drivetrains and body types.
Honda will introduce a fixed-type battery in its first electric scooter and it could target high-volume sales as it is believed to be affordable. The chances of it carrying the Active Electric moniker are high and Honda also filed a patent for a hub motor and a fixed battery as well a while ago, further reiterating the possibility.
The battery pack, associated underpinnings and critical components along with the electric motor will be manufactured in India to achieve economies of scale and position it competitively against rivals. The second electric scooter could boast a swappable battery tech appealing to a wide range of customers by eliminating the range anxiety but it will be more expensive.
Honda will utilise its wide footprint across India to establish battery stations and some of the touchpoints could be dedicated only for charging up the upcoming electric two-wheelers – even the fixed battery ones via charging cables. Honda is building a new facility at its Narsapura plant in Karnataka to meet the requirements of its electric range.
It will be scaled up to roll out more than one million units by the end of this decade and the unit will be responsible for producing e-motors. The battery packs and the PCU will be procured from local sources. We do expect Honda to go after established players like Ola Electric, Ather Energy, TVS and Bajaj with its Active Electric, what do you think about it?
