Honda Shine electric motorcycle is likely to come with the same 1.5 kWh swappable battery packs as the Activa e: in the Indian market.
Honda 2-Wheelers India entered the EV segment in the country with the launch of the Activa e: and QC1 earlier this year. However, both these e-scooters have received an underwhelming response from the buyers so far due to the intense competition from rival brands such as Bajaj, TVS and Ola. Now, it has been learnt that Honda Shine 100, the brand’s entry-level commuter motorcycle, could be electrified. The latest patent images leaked online reveal that Honda Shine Electric bike is under development and it is likely to be offered with dual battery setup.
The Shine 100 electric motorcycle will carry the same chassis as the ICE version, albeit with two detachable batteries. We have witnessed this conversion from ICE to EV in the four-wheeler segment quite often in the last few years. Some of the prime examples of this conversion are Tata Nexon, Hyundai Creta and Kia Carens Clavis. However, the two-wheeler industry is yet to see this conversion from ICE to EV.
Though models like Honda Activa e: and Suzuki e-Access share the nameplate with their ICE counterparts, all the hardware, cycle components and other mechanical stuff is entirely different. Honda seems to be following in the footsteps of Hyundai and Tata as the leaked patent suggests while converting the Shine 100 into an electric model.
The leaked patent shows that the chassis is identical to the standard commuter bike while the powertrain, fuel tank and other elements have made way for the dual battery setup and electric motor. The electric motorcycle segment is still in its initial phase and none of the mainstream EV brands such as Bajaj, TVS and Hero have presence in it, except for Ola which recently commenced the deliveries of its Roadster X e-motorcycle.
Meanwhile, Honda is also working rigorously to set up a vast network of battery-swapping in metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi to support its existing range of electric two-wheelers. Presently, Honda Activa e: is the only electric two-wheeler from Honda which comes with swappable battery as the QC1 is sold with fixed battery.
It is quite likely that Shine EV will be packed with two battery packs of 1.5 kWh each as the Activa e: and they will be swappable at these stations. The Japanese brand also plans to open a full-fledged EV production facility in India in the next few years. Details are scarce at the moment, hence stay tuned to this page for more updates.
Image Source – Cycle World
