Honda accelerates Zero Carbon plan: ten electric models by 2025
With deadlines for the demise of the internal combustion engine starting to appear around the world, motorcycle makers are under pressure to switch to electric power. Honda is the latest to come forward with bold plans that start with an onslaught of at least ten new electric models by 2025.
Honda plans to reach annual electric motorcycle sales of one million per year within five years and 3.5 million per year by 2030. That would be 15% of Honda's present global motorcycle sales.
Honda will unveil two 'commuter' electric motorcycles between 2024 and 2025 for markets in Asia, Europe and Japan, plus five lower-performance electric mopeds - with top speeds between 25 and 50 km/h - and lower-performance 'electric bicycles' with top speeds under 25km/h.
Honda also plans for 'FUN EV' models, launching in Europe, Japan and the US between 2024 and 2025. These higher-performance models are represented in silhouette form in images that accompanied the announcement. The three bikes include a maxi-scooter, a retro-inspired roadster taking cues from the 'Neo Sports Café' look adopted by the CB650R, CB125R and CB1000R, and a lower-slung, cruiser style bike. In stance, the bikes are reminiscent of the Honda Integra, NC700 and CTX700 models of a few years ago - all based on the same platform, but targeting very different customers. Honda also plans an eleventh model, the Kids Fun EV, which will be an off-road minibike aimed at children in Europe, Japan and America.
The technology will see the battery, PCU and motor combined into a bike's body for improved efficiency and reduced costs. Solid-state battery technology is due to appear in prototype form by 2024 and reach production in the second half of the decade. They use a solid rather than liquid electrolyte and promise to be safer, faster charging, lighter and more power-dense than current technologies.
Honda has also reiterated its support of battery-sharing tech, based on a standardised, swappable battery pack - as seen with Honda's Mobile Power Pack (MPP), used in the PCX electric scooter, Gyro-e and Benly-e in Japan. Along with Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki, Honda has established a standard for swappable batteries in Japan and is working with European manufacturers to create a similar standard in Europe, with the aim of creating an ecosystem of battery-swap stations to allow instant refills.
Despite all this, the internal combustion engine isn't being forgotten. As the basis of Honda's success, the company is working to develop low-CO2 and carbon-neutral ICE models, introducing flex-fuel bikes in India, with E20 (20% ethanol) compatible machines in 2023 and E100 (100% ethanol) models in 2025. Honda already has 100% ethanol bikes on sale in Brazil.
