Honda and Yamaha Collaborate to Boost Japan’s Electric Motorcycle Market

Honda and Yamaha have joined forces to advance the electric motorcycle market in Japan by agreeing on the supply of electric models in the Class-1 category. This partnership, built on years of collaboration, aims to address challenges such as range and charging time.

Honda and Yamaha to Expand Electric Market in Japan (Image Used for Representational Purposes) | Image Credit: Honda UK

Key Highlights

Honda will supply Yamaha with electric motorcycle models in the Class-1 category for the Japanese market.

The collaboration builds on the successful standardisation of swappable batteries, addressing critical issues like range and charging time.

Honda and Yamaha aim to enhance their electric motorcycle lineup to support a carbon-neutral society.

New Delhi: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. have reached a significant agreement to propel the Japanese electric motorcycle market forward. Honda will supply Yamaha with electric motorcycle models in the Class-1 category, specifically based on Honda’s EM1 e: and BENLY e: I models. This agreement is part of a broader OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) collaboration aimed at meeting the growing demand for electric mobility solutions in Japan.

The partnership between Honda and Yamaha dates back to October 2016 when the two industry giants began discussions to form a business alliance. Their joint efforts focused on overcoming the challenges faced by motorcycle manufacturers, such as meeting stringent safety and emissions standards and driving the electrification of the industry. In March 2018, Honda began supplying 50cc scooter models to Yamaha as part of this alliance, laying the groundwork for their current collaboration.

A key milestone in their partnership was the establishment of the Swappable Battery Consortium for Electric Motorcycles in April 2019, which also included Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Suzuki Motor Corporation. This consortium aimed to standardise swappable batteries and their systems to address critical issues like range and charging time. By March 2021, the consortium had successfully agreed on common specifications for these batteries, marking a significant step towards the widespread adoption of electric motorcycles.

Building on these achievements, Honda and Yamaha’s latest agreement will see Honda supply electric motorcycle models powered by the Honda Mobile Power Pack e: swappable battery, which complies with the standardised specifications. This move is expected to enhance the product lineup in the Class-1 category, which is widely popular for both personal and business uses.

As both companies continue to collaborate, they remain focused on addressing key challenges such as range, charging time, performance, and cost. Their shared vision is to contribute to the realisation of a carbon-neutral society by promoting the adoption of electric motorcycles in Japan.

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