The electric scooter from Yamaha should rival the Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube
India Yamaha Motor has revealed that it is indeed working on an electric scooter for the Indian market. It would be pitted against the Bajaj Chetak, TVS iQube and the like.
The Japanese firm had only recently unveiled the Fascino 125 Hybrid and provided details about the Ray ZR 125 Hybrid in India. These scooters will feature a Smart Motor Generator (SMG) which will assist their 125cc petrol engine.
According to Senior Vice President (Sales and Marketing), India Yamaha Motor, Ravinder Singh, these models mark Yamaha’s entry into the electrified 2-wheeler space in India.
He also disclosed that Yamaha is already working on an all-new electric 2-wheeler platform for India and other global markets and that the firm is “looking at a clear roadmap for the EV policy from the Indian government.”
But, Singh did declare that the 2-wheeler major will definitely introduce an EV in India and it is not like Yamaha does not have the technology yet. It has been selling the EC-05 electric scooter in Taiwan for the past 2 years, after all.
However, the Japanese firm is wary of challenges in the sector, particularly with the development of charging and battery swapping facilities.
Like it did in Taiwan, Yamaha could tie-up with Gogoro Energy Network and set up battery swapping stations. Hero MotoCorp has also partnered with the Taiwanese firm for a battery swapping joint venture in India.
That said, details about the Yamaha electric scooter are scarce at present. The EC-05, features 2 removable batteries, 100 km range, a maximum power of 10 HP and 26 Nm of peak torque and a 90 km/hr top speed.
Yamaha could bring the same vehicle, which also has full LED lighting, LCD digital cluster, ABS, among other features, to India or a modified version of it.
Yamaha is not the only Japanese firm which is developing an electric scooter for India as Suzuki has been repeatedly caught testing a Burgman Street-based EV.