NEO'S - Yamaha "strategic electric vehicle"
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. has announced the European launch of the 2.5 kW class NEO'S electric scooter utilising a removable battery design. The company also plans to release the model to ASEAN markets in stages.
"The NEO'S is an electric scooter with a simple yet stylish body and features the smooth and agile performance unique to EVs.
"In Europe, a new segment of users is emerging from the shift away from car-based commuting to two-wheeled commuting, driven by changes in urban systems such as no-entry zones for vehicles, parking problems and traffic congestion.
"The traditional user base for 50 cm3 scooters is also shifting to electric alternatives, thus demand for electric scooters in the equivalent 2.5 kW class is expected to grow in the future. The NEO'S is aimed at answering the needs of Europe's electric scooter market, and the model itself will be manufactured by Yamaha Motor Vietnam Co., Ltd."
The main features include the Yamaha Integrated Power Unit II (YIPU II) "delivering quiet but long-lasting acceleration"; a battery offering approx. 37 km of cruising range from a full charge; a model-specific frame design and new low-loss tyres "for a comfortable, energy-efficient ride" and styling based on Yamaha's Jin-Ki Kanno EV design concept that "places the MOTOROiD concept model at the top of the pyramid".
The company's Yamaha Motor Group Environmental Plan 2050 sets a goal of reducing Scope 3 CO2 emissions (emissions produced from the company's value chain, e.g., use of sold products) by 90% by 2050 compared to 2010. The NEO'S is a strategic electric vehicle that will be introduced to the market in order to help achieve this goal. The initial sales target is 10,000 units a year in Europe with an MSRP of € 2,999.
