The leaked images show Honda developing a Metropolitan like electric scooter for the Indian market that will rival the Hero Leap electric scooter.
The electric scooter segment is yet to take off in India and at present has a handful of players with low capacity two-wheelers on offer. However, auto giant Honda that understands the domestic scooter market very well seems to see a huge potential in the same and is planning to introduce an electric scooter in India with work already begun on the same, as these leaked images indicate. The upcoming electric scooter is apparently based on the Honda Metropolitan scooter that is currently sold in developed markets.
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) most recently submitted the patents for the upcoming electric scooter and the drawings resemble the Metropolitan in design. Featuring a retro themed styling similar to the Piaggio Vespa, the Honda Metropolitan uses a 49cc four-stroke, single-cylinder motor with fuel injection and is paired to a V-Matic automatic transmission. The scooter gets a twin downtube forks at the front and single shock suspension at the rear. The Metropolitan also gets Combi-Braking System (CBS) and uses alloy wheels.
It is still unclear as to what exactly does Honda have in store with these design patents. If the company is indeed working on an electric scooter for India, the manufacturer could showcase the same at the 2016 Auto Expo next February. In fact, Honda had mentioned earlier this year that it plans to showcase a new scooter in an all-new segment at the Auto Expo and while we considered the PCX150 scooter to be scheduled for the reveal, it just might be this electric scooter that the company is working on.
The electric scooter is certainly an interesting proposition from Honda and will rival the Hero Leap hybrid scooter that is also under development and gets a petrol-electric powertrain along with a rechargeable battery management system. The Leap was showcased at the 2012 Auto Expo while the production ready model was unveiled at the 2014 Auto Expo. With the scooter already under development, Hero could launch the Leap next year itself making sure that Honda does not have the monopoly in the segment.
Spy Pictures Source – Gaadiwaadi.com
