The all-new Honda Activa E is Honda's entry into the electric scooter market. Atsushi Ogata, President of Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, revealed an HMSI EV product debut in India in an interview with ET Auto. In India, however, the launch is not expected until 2023.
Honda Activa E will have battery swapping technology
The electric scooter is expected to have battery swapping technology, which would allow owners to swap out a drained battery for a charged one at swap stations and charge the battery at home. Consumers will have two options: they may either pay a subscription fee or a nominal charge to have their dead batteries replaced with charged ones, or they can buy a backup battery pack that can be charged and changed when the existing one is low.
Bounce also released the Bounce Infinity E1 electric scooter earlier this year, which was India's first swappable battery electric scooter. 'Battery as a service,' a subscription-based battery switching system, has also been launched by the company.
Accordingly, the new Honda Activa E will compete directly with the Bounce Infinity E1 as well as other popular electric scooters in India, such as the Ola S1, Bajaj Chetak, Ather 450X, and Hero Electric scooters.
Because battery prices are falling and the central and state governments have announced incentives to encourage a faster transition to e-mobility, this could be the right time for Honda to enter the EV market. Industry stakeholders have also stated that the conversion potential is high at this time because 21 million two-wheelers were sold before the outbreak of the pandemic in FY19.
Honda's former partner Hero is also expected to unveil a new electric scooter next month, adding to the already crowded Indian EV market.
