The new Honda EM1 e: has been unveiled, and is the Japanese firm’s first electric two-wheeler to be offered in Europe.
Set to go on sale here in the comping months, the machine is an electric moped, and the first in a massive expansion of Honda’s two-wheel EV line-up.
Let’s take a look at the machine and how it fits into Honda’s line-up…
Honda’s EV heritage
Honda has a long history of producing both two- and four-wheel vehicles, but it has been later than many rivals in making the leap to full electric models. While it has enjoyed plenty of success with hybrid technology, it has so far only launched one electric car in Europe: the Honda e.
That model features really slick styling, but its small size, high price and limited real-world range of less than 100 miles means that it has only found a limited audience.
The Honda e:Ny1
That will change soon, with the firm having just unveiled the new Honda e:NY 1 compact crossover, which is set to arrive this year as a Jeep Avenger and Peugeot e-2008 rival with a range of 256 miles.
Honda’s two-wheel EV strategy
But Honda isn’t just going electric on four wheels: it’s planning a huge expansion of its electric two-wheel line-up. That’s more of a challenge, because adding heavy batteries is a real challenge for smaller vehicles, but new technology is really helping.
Honda is aiming to launch more than 10 electric two-wheelers globally by 2030, ranging from e-bikes right up to sport motorbikes.
Honda’s Chinese e-bikes
The first two-wheel EVs that Honda launched was in China, where it revived classic names such as the Cub, Dax and Zoomer for a range of limited-speed e-bikes.
The Honda EM1 e: is the first to hit Europe
The EM1 e: is Honda’s first two-wheel EV that will launch in Europe. The name stands for Electric Moped, which tells you what this machine is designed to replace. Honda says that it’s aimed at young European riders looking for “fun, emission-free urban transport”.
The EM1 e: design and styling
The machine uses a relatively conventional moped design, with a steel undertone frame, telescopic forks, twin shock absorbers and disc brakes at both the front and rear. It does have a new styling approach, designed to make it stand out as something a bit different.
The EM1 e: measures 1860mm long with a seat height of 740mm.
The electric powertrain of the EM1 e:
Instead of a combustion engine, power comes from an in-wheel three-phase brushless motor, which produces a peak power of 1.7kW and 90NM of torque. In the Econ mode, the output is set at 0.86kW. That gives the machine a top speed of 31mph.
It’s got swappable batteries
The EM1 e: draws power from a 50V Honda Mobile Power Pack which, as the name suggests, can be removed from the machine – so it can be charged at home or swapped with a fresh one.
The battery pack has been developed in-house by Honda, and includes air cooling fans. It weights 5.3kg, and offers a range of up to 30 miles, depending on conditions.
The battery takes around six hours to charge fully, or around 160 minutes to go from 25 per cent to 75 per cent.
What creature comforts are there?
The distinctly styled EM1 e: features a 3.3-litre under-seat storage areas, and has a pocket big enough to hold a 0.5-litre drink bottle.There’s also a USB socket for charging a smartphone and a hook to hang a bag on.
A rear carrier can be added, along with a 35-litre top box.
