Honda India is looking to enter the electric scooter space with their Benly e scooter. Honda Motor Japan has already set up a subsidiary that will provide battery packs for small mobility in the country. Officially named Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited, this firm will also be responsible for battery swapping technologies in upcoming two-wheelers from the Japanese brand.
What is Honda planning?
Honda invested 135 crores to set up this subsidiary in India. Honda Motor Japan owns 100% stakes in the company. The main aim of the company is to help sales of EVs by solving three major issues of electric vehicles which are, limited range, long charging time, and high cost of batteries. However, services of the subsidiary won’t be limited to the electric two-wheeler space only.
The firm plans to start battery sharing service from electric auto [E auto] in Bangalore from the first half of 2022. The plan is to expand it to other major cities in a phased manner. Subscribers can go to the nearest battery-swapping station and swap their empty batteries with charged ones. Honda has named their all-new portable and swappable batteries as ‘Honda Mobile Power Pack’ [MPP].
Honda Benly e scooter
As of now, this battery will be powering the new Honda Benly e scooter in India. We have spotted Honda testing its new scooter near Pune this year. This electric scooter has been developed to cater to everyday service and delivery people. It is expected to be launched in 2022.
Benly e is offered in four trims namely Benly e I, Benly e I Pro, Benly e II, and Benly e II Pro. These trims are offered with different motor specifications. Benly e I and I Pro feature a 2.8 kW (3.8 bhp) electric motor which returns a torque output of 13 Nm. On the other hand, Benly e II and II Pro are propelled by a 4.2 kW (5.7 bhp) electric motor that makes 15 Nm of peak torque.
Also read: EICMA 2021: Honda Reveals The ADV 350 Adventure Scooter!
As for performance, Honda claims a top speed of 30kmph on a flat road for Benly e I and I Pro whereas both these trims offer a range of 87km on a single charge. The more premium Benly e II and II Pro, receive a stronger top speed of 60kmph on a flat road while the range drops to 43km on a single charge.
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