Honda’s Debut Electric Motorcycle E-VO Launched In China

Honda has officially launched its debut electric motorcycle, the E-VO, in China. In a typical Honda style, the E-VO, debuts a nice cohesive design that looks retro and modern at the same time. But there’s more to this bike than what meets the naked eye, and being a feature rich offering is just another aspect of it. 

For starters, the new Honda E-VO is built around an all-new frame made out of forged aluminium. This helps save quite the weight wherein the E-VO tips the scales at just 156 kg. This number sounds all the more impressive when you factor in that the E-VO is powered by three lithium-ion battery packs with a cumulative capacity of 6.2 kWh. This translates to a claimed range of 170 km on a single charge. Honda is also offering a two battery `pack variant with 4.1 kWh capacity that reduces the claimed range to 120 km but also  helps bring the kerb weight further down to 143 kg.  

The three battery variant takes 1.5 hours to charge from 20-80 per cent using a 3.4 kWh fast charger, and 2.5 hours to charge the same using a 1.8 kWh home charger. The two battery variant takes between 1 hours and 1.5 hours to charge the same using the above chargers. 

As is the case with almost all electric two-wheelers, the Honda E-VO is also available with regenerative braking with three modes – Eco, Normal and Sport. The ‘Sport’ mode offers the least intervention of regen braking, while the other two modes keep matters conservative. 

Either way, both variants are powered by a 15.8 kW electric motor that is good for a top speed of 120 kmph. The E-VO rides on 16-/14-inch wheels that are shod with 110/70- and 140/70-section tyres. The seat height is also quite accessible at 765 mm. 

On the features front, the Honda E-VO gets a 7-inch fully digital TFT display which supports turn-by-turn navigation and integrated features. With the top-spec variant, Honda will also be offering a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard. Plus, Honda has also equipped two cameras, one at the front and one at the rear, which acts as a dashcam, making it one of the first electric bikes in the world to debut this feature. 

While the electric bike has officially debuted in the Chinese market as of now, will Honda decide to launch it in other markets as well or not remains to be seen. In the Indian context, the E-VO will be more on the lines of a Matter Aera 5000 than an Ultraviolette F77. And even then, the Aera is something that will match the Honda feature for feature and is India-tested. Hence, the asking price will be significantly lower. 

Currently, Honda does not have immediate plans for an electric motorcycle in India. It will be establishing a completely dedicated plant for electric two-wheelers which will start operating in 2028. This facility will prioritise modular platforms and hence, electric motorcycles could be on the cards in the future.