Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is also set to introduce a locally developed electric scooter into the Indian market, which will be a major move towards the long-term electric mobility strategy of the company. It comes as competition mounts in the fast-growing Indian electric two-wheeler market, which is presently dominated by these players: TVS Motor, Bajaj Auto, Ather Energy, and Ola Electric.
Industry reactions
Industry sources claim that the next EV scooter from Honda will be highly localized, enabling the company to manage the costs, enhance the efficiency of the supply chain, and provide competitive prices. Localization of sourcing of important parts, e.g., battery packs and electronic systems, is likely to be important in making the product viable in mass adoption.
Approach to Indian theme
The Indian EV market already sees Honda with its Activa e: and QC1 models; however, they are designed to serve only the Indian urban segments. The intended local scooter will be aimed at increased volumes, with emphasis being on patients of daily commuters as the main consumers of the two-wheeler market in India. The company is allegedly researching the Indian riding conditions, the usage habits, and the charging behavior to make the new scooter live up to the expectations of the local consumers.
Analytical steps
The localization strategy of Honda is seen by industry analysts as the solution to the increased demand for cheap, dependable, and low-maintenance electric scooters. Although EV uptake has experienced some changes in the past owing to the shift in subsidies and the challenges of charging infrastructure, it is expected to have a good future, particularly in urban and semi-urban settings.
Futuristic View
The entrance of Honda with a fully localized EV scooter can bring some serious changes to the market. Honda has a robust brand trust, a vast dealer network, and a large manufacturing scale, which means that it has gained the opportunity to compete in the electric two-wheeler space aggressively.
Conclusion
No official launch date has been announced as yet, and there are reports that the new electric scooter might be launched within the next year or one year later, which makes sense as the Honda company is concerned with sustainable mobility in India.
