Honda’s Unmissable Electric Motorcycle Is Finally Out Of The Bag
Back in March, Honda filed some interesting patents for an unmissable electric motorcycle. Now, merely months later, the cat is finally out of the bag. It’s called the E-VO, and it is the closest thing to a full-sized motorcycle by Honda yet. There is a lot to like here, in terms of technology, performance, and equipment. So let’s jump right in.
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The Honda E-VO Has A Maximum Range Of Over 100 Miles
Range and charging time are perhaps what you want to know first, so we’ll start here. Honda has equipped the E-VO with a 74V 84Ah (~6.2 kWh) lithium-ion battery that ensures a maximum range of 105.6 miles (calculated by the WMTC method). That’s a lot higher than its Japanese rivals: the Kawasaki Ninja e-1 and Z e-1. Once out of juice, charging from 20 to 80 percent takes an impressive 2.5 hours via the home charger. If you use a car charger, that time cuts down to just 1.5 hours. The battery isn’t removable for quick swapping, though.
How’s the performance, you ask? Just right. A 15.8 kW electric motor serves as the centerpiece, which ensures a top speed of 75 miles per hour. Honda also claims you can breach 30 miles per hour (from a standstill) in under three seconds. A single-speed transmission with a Continental belt drives the rear wheel. That means a twist-and-go action with no fuss about gear-shifting.
Touching on the underpinnings, the E-VO hides an aluminum forged chassis. It relies on USD forks and a gas-charged monoshock for suspension duties, while riding on 16/14-inch alloy wheels. The use of aluminum on the frame and swingarm helps keep the weight down to under 350 pounds. That’s quite low considering the equipment on offer.
Honda E-VO Battery, Range, And Performance
|
Motor |
15.8 kW (mid-mounted) |
|
Torque |
NA |
|
Top speed |
75 miles per hour |
|
Battery |
6.2 kWh (fixed) |
|
Maximum range (claimed) |
105.6 miles |
|
Charging time (20-80 percent) |
2.5 hours |
A Sea Of Modern Features Elevates The Honda E-VO’s Package
Speaking of equipment, you will simply dig the impeccable features on offer here. The protagonist is a large seven-inch TFT instrument cluster, which works in tandem with a small secondary TFT on the tank. The former comes armed with smartphone connectivity, NFC, and turn-by-turn navigation, while the latter is just for showing minor details.
Sweetening the pot is traction control, three ride modes, TPMS, cruise control, and a reverse gear. All this while, our favorite inclusion is a set of 1080P front and rear cameras. These have a dedicated handlebar switch to start/stop recording on the fly. A phone storage compartment (in the ‘tank’ area), adjustable levers, LED lights, and bar-end mirrors round things off.
Honda E-VO Key Features
- Seven-inch TFT
- Smartphone connectivity
- Ride modes
- TPMS
- Cruise control
- Reverse gear
- 1080P cameras
- Phone storage with USB ports
The Honda E-VO Has Yet To Reach International Markets
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With a lane departure system that adapts according to the more diverse riding nature of a motorcycle.
As of now, Honda has launched the E-VO only in China under its Wuyang-Honda initiative. It sells for an equivalent of $5,100 while there’s also another version for $4,100 with less range and performance. That isn’t exactly cheap, but the money is somewhat justified here. The bigger worry is: will Honda bring its first electric motorcycle to the West? We think it should, since the E-VO seems like an excellent alternative to the miniMOTO range available here. What do you think?
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