Breaking: Honda Unveils Activa E and QC1

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) have finally taken the wraps off the Activa e : and the QC1 which will be their first electric scooters to go on sale in India. Bookings for these scooters will begin on January 1st and deliveries are said to commence February 2025 onwards. While the prices have not been revealed, here are all of the other details we have about these new electric scooters.

Activa e :

Honda says that the electric Activa’s design blends the beloved Activa silhouette with modern, sophisticated elements, giving it a fresh yet familiar look. It gets an LED headlight with a DRL and an LED tail lamp set up as well. The scooter rides on 12-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, has a flat footboard, a dual-tone seat, and a grab rail at the rear. 

The scooter is equipped with swappable batteries called the Honda Mobile Power Pack e. It gets two such swappable batteries, each of 1.5 kWh capacity, which are said to offer a range of 102km on a full charge. The swappable batteries can be exchanged with the help of designated swapping stations planned across the city. Currently, it is live in Bengaluru, Delhi and will be soon started in Mumbai as well. 

Powering the Activa e: is an advanced in-house developed PMSM (permanent magnet synchronous electric motor) that delivers 6 kW (8.1 PS) of power and 22 Nm of peak torque. It is said to do the 0 to 60 km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 80 km/h. The ACTIVA e: gets three riding modes, namely Econ, Standard & Sport.

One of the main features is a 7.0-inch TFT screen that offers real-time connectivity with Honda RoadSync Duo app, allowing riders to stay connected and updated. It supports navigation and also gets day & night modes to optimize the screen’s brightness and readability. The TFT screen can be controlled by using toggle switches placed on the handlebar. The Activa e: also comes with Honda’s H-Smart key that gets features like Smart Find, Smart Safe, Smart Unlock and Smart Start.  

There are two variants which include the Activa e: and Activa e: Honda RoadSync Duo along with five colour options to choose from; Pearl Shallow Blue, Pearl Misty White, Pearl Serenity Blue, Matt Foggy Silver Metallic and Pearl Igneous Black colours.

Honda QC1

Alongside the new Activa e:, Honda have also unveiled the QC1 which gets an in-built battery. It looks similar to the Activa but misses out on the LED DRL in the front, which is one of its main distinguishing factors. The QC1 gets LED lighting all round and will be offered in five colour schemes including Pearl Serenity Blue, Pearl Misty White, Matt Foggy Silver Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black, and Pearl Shallow Blue.

The QC1 is powered by a 1.5 kWh fixed battery pack that is said to provide a range of 80 km on a single charge. It can be charged from 0 to 80% in 4 hours and 30 minutes while a full juice up will take 6 hours and 50 minutes. The QC1 gets an in-wheel electric motor that has a peak power rating of 1.8 kW (2.4 PS), a peak torque of 77 Nm, and a top speed of 50 km/h. Compared to the Activa e, this gets only two riding modes; Standard & Econ.

The QC1 also gets a smaller 5.0-inch LCD cluster that is said to offer necessary information at a quick glance. For added utility, it gets a USB Type-C charging port and because this does not have swappable batteries, it gives it an ample 26-litres of storage space under the seat, making it convenient for daily commuting.

Ownership Experience

Honda tells us that both these electric scooters will be sold via their existing selected dealer network. The ACTIVA e: will be available in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru with deliveries starting from February 2025 onwards. The QC1 will be initially available in select cities from February 2025 onwards. Both these EV models will be manufactured at HMSI’s Narsapura plant near Bengaluru in Karnataka. 

These models will be offered with 3 years or 50,000 km warranty along with three free services for the first year. We can expect the Activa e : to be priced at Rs 1.30 lakh (ex-showroom) and the QC1 to be priced at around Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom) when they are officially launched.