Honda has launched its first electric powered two-wheeler for Europe, the EM1 e electric scooter which will be available in 2023.
Honda has made headlines early on at the EICMA show in Milan, particularly for its unveiling of the revival of the Transalp name. The middleweight adventurer was revealed yesterday (8 November 2022), but alongside it was something perhaps just as important.
The Honda EM1 e is the first electric powered two-wheeler (PTW) offering to be made available in Europe, and can be seen as a competitor - of sorts, at least - to the likes of Yamaha’s E01 and NEO's and the Piaggio One.
The EM1 e is scheduled for release in the summer of 2023 and marks the first step in Honda’s plan to have at least 10 electric motorcycle models globally by 2025, as well as a step towards Honda’s 2040 carbon neutrality ambitions.
Honda says “the model is aimed squarely at a young demographic looking for easy, fun urban transport,” and the EM1 e can offer a 40km range on one charge. Additionally, the battery, called the “Mobile Power Pack” (MPP), is swappable. That means that also for people without off-street parking, the battery can be charged at home, or even at work or school, college, or university.
The MPP’s swappable capabilities also place it well for the roll out of Honda’s battery stations, as well as within the context of the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium.
There are not currently any official statistics for the EM1 e’s power, battery capacity, or weight, for example, so, in truth, it is difficult to say how much of a competitor it will be to the likes of the aforementioned electric scooters from Yamaha and Piaggio, or others. But, as an electric scooter from a major manufacturer, the comparisons will be made, even if just to highlight the different approaches between manufacturers.
