Yamaha has begun the development of a new e-scooter for the Indian market, but it will observe our country’s EV policies before making a move
Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer Yamaha is developing a new electric scooter for the Indian market. The electric two-wheeler segment has been steadily expanding in India, and thanks to the updated FAME II scheme, we will likely see a lot of action in this space soon. However, Yamaha has decided to take a cautious approach, instead of going in guns blazing.
As per a recent report, Yamaha plans to watch India’s EV policies, and wait until the EV infrastructure is strong enough. Said infrastructure includes EV charging points, battery swapping points, and even local battery manufacturing facilities. The manufacturer has also stated that it already has the relevant EV technology, in Taiwan, for the last two years.
During the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, Yamaha had showcased the E01 e-scooter concept. Later that year, the EC-05 electric scooter was launched by the manufacturer in the Taiwanese market, in partnership with Gogoro. Yamaha EC-05 can deliver a range of up to 100 km on a single charge and can reach a top speed of 90 kmph. It also features swappable batteries, which is an extremely practical touch.
However, Gogoro and Hero MotoCorp have already partnered up for the development of electric two-wheelers and EV infrastructure in India, so we’re not sure how Yamaha would play this out. The Japanese manufacturer is currently developing a brand new platform for its electric scooters, for the Indian as well as international markets.
That said, the manufacturer has already taken a step towards electrification, with the recent unveiling of two hybrid scooters – Fascino 125 hybrid and ZayZR hybrid. Both these Yamaha hybrid scooters feature electric power assist and idle start/stop tech, which helps improve the performance and fuel efficiency. We expect them to go on sale very soon in the Indian market, likely in the coming weeks.
As of now, there is no confirmation about the debut of Yamaha India’s first electric scooter. However, with the updated EV policies and the steadily improving infrastructure, we’ll likely see some major developments in this area from the manufacturer next year.