ZigOpinion: What We’d Like To See From Honda’s First Electric Moped For India

Honda recently revealed grand plans to meet its carbon neutrality target and this includes the launch of multiple EVs as well as flex-fuel two-wheelers. Interestingly, recent reports suggest that Honda’s first electric two-wheeler offering for the Indian market will be an electric moped with a top speed limited to 50kmph. Here’s what we think about the EV:

What To Expect?

Well, in June this year, Honda filed a design patent application for the Honda U-Go electric moped here. Sure, Honda has a track record of patenting things that aren’t meant for the Indian market (read: Honda CBR250RR, Vario, CRF190L, among others), but, with Honda’s reported plans, the U-Go certainly seems to be the ideal e-moped to start its electric innings here. 

Its design is sleek and trendy enough to appeal to a wide audience, plus it will get Honda’s swappable battery system for minimal downtime while charging. The U-Go comes with a claimed range of 75km and a top speed of 53kmph. 

With two battery packs installed, the range can be extended to 130km. Moreover, by the time Honda launches the e-moped, which will be next year, customers will also have the comfort of having a fairly well-planned swapping network thanks to Honda’s partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to set up battery swapping centres across the country at HP outlets. 

What We’d Like To See:

If Honda indeed launches the U-Go, then it will all boil down to the pricing. To give you some perspective, the Hero Electric Photon, with a top-speed of over 45kmph retails at Rs 80,790 (ex-showroom Delhi, including FAME 2 subsidy). In all probability, Honda will likely price its first two-wheeled EV similar to the Photon, around Rs 80,000 (ex-showroom). That would make it fairly more expensive than the Honda Activa 6G, which retails from Rs 72,400 (ex-showroom Delhi). 

And if Honda were to price it that way, then it will have to be packed with modern features to justify the price tag. That means, the all-LED lighting in the U-Go will have to be carried over in the India-spec bike. Other features in the e-moped sold abroad, including the USB charging port and the anti-theft alarm, will also have to be carried over as well.

• Find out which Honda bike is the right one for you
• Take a look at the Honda Activa price
• Upcoming Honda bikes in India
• Check out the Honda Activa Electric launch timeline

On the flip side, if Honda plans to undercut the Activa 6G by pricing the e-moped competitively, then it will give up on features such as all-LED lighting, USB charging port, and anti-theft alarm. Having said that, it’s unlikely Honda will go this route as it has always been pricing its products at a premium over its rivals’ products.