In FY24, Honda will introduce two electric two-wheelers with swappable batteries in India.
On Wednesday, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) disclosed that it would introduce two distinct electric two-wheelers with interchangeable batteries in India in the Finacial year 2024 (FY24). The two-wheeler maker also announced that it would introduce electric two-wheelers in the mid-range. The car business did not specify whether the upcoming EVs will be motorcycles or scooters, though. The Japanese automaker added that it hopes to produce one million EVs annually by the year 2030.
HMSI added that the two electric cars would be produced at the Narasapura facility in Karnataka for the Indian market. The automaker also intends to export these Electric Vehicles (EVs) to international marketplaces in addition to the Indian market. Along with the introduction of the electric two-wheelers, HMSI plans to roll out 6,000 touchpoints across the country to assist EV users with battery charging.
Honda has also kept the identity of the two forthcoming electric two-wheelers a secret. The Honda EM1e, which was displayed at the EICMA and had a range of up to 40 km on a single charge, could be one of them. Another one might be an all-electric scooter based on the enormously successful Activa line. The battery in the Honda EM1e can be changed.
Honda says it is developing a framework specifically for its electric two-wheelers. This design, known as Platform E, will be able to accommodate various models of electric two-wheelers with both fixed and swappable battery technology. The automaker also stated that the Narasapura factory will be solely focused on producing electric vehicles.
Atsushi Ogata, MD, President, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HMSI, discussed the company's EV plan by stating that by 2040, EVs and FCVs should account for 100% of the brand's total sales. We will continue to improve the efficiency of ICE engines with the introduction of flex-fuel engines and follow government direction for alternate fuels while expanding the electrification of models and ecosystem, he said. In line with Honda's global direction to increase the electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles unit sales ratio to 100% by 2040.
