Honda’s first electric moped design revealed in patent filings, giving us an early look
Like most Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, Honda has been late to the electrification game. But don’t count the storied motorbike brand out just yet, as the company’s upcoming electric moped looks to be shaping up nicely based on recent IP filings.
Honda recently announced that it planned to rollout 10 different electric motorcycle models by 2025, though most of those are expected to be light electric motorcycles or electric mopeds.
Zero and Harley-Davidson likely don’t have anything to be worried about for several more years.
Light electric motorcycles and electric mopeds are much easier to produce, are subject to significantly fewer regulations, and can carry much lower price tags than are likely to entice a wider range of riders.
And now we’re getting our first look at an upcoming Honda electric moped thanks to filings the company submitted to the European Union Intellectual Property Office, according to Bennetts.
The model shown looks to borrow much of the frame and componentry seen on a previous Honda and MUJI collaboration, resulting in a classically styled electric moped.
In fact, fans of the original Honda Cub motorcycle might recognize the design as Cub-like. The Honda Cub, sold under multiple model names and several variants, is the most produced motor vehicle in the world. It was a staple of 1960s and ’70s motorcycle culture, offering young riders a low-cost and low-power two-wheeler that was perfect for urban and suburban exploration.
This upcoming Honda electric moped appears to share much of the same design ethos, yet with updated styling and a pair of pedals that should help classify it as an electric bike or moped in many regions.
The single-seater electric moped sports built-in lighting, a broad front shield to protect the rider’s legs from splashing water or road debris, a wide foot platform, and of course those stubby pedals that help exempt it from motorcycle classification.
The wheels feature a six-spoke cast design with a small hydraulic brake in the front and a rear drum brake.
The design appears to offer both front and rear suspension, and a small chain can be seen running along the rear swingarm. That chain is purely for the pedal drivetrain, as the rear wheel seems to hold a large hub motor at its center. If produced, it is likely that the pedals would go unused by most riders, and some may even choose to remove them altogether.
It is unclear what type of battery the bike will use or where it would be mounted. The seat may lift up to allow access to a rear battery compartment, but it is more likely that we’ll eventually find just a small storage compartment back there.
The underfoot area is the most likely future home for the battery, which could prove to be one of Honda’s 48V swappable battery packs that follow Gogoro’s battery design.
It’s unclear what the top speed of Honda’s first electric moped will be, but a 28 mph (45 km/h) limit seems likely. That’s the maximum allowable speed for e-bikes in the US and for Speed Pedelecs in much of Europe.
Perhaps Asia’s market is a better bellwether though, as Asia accounts for many more times the sales of electric bikes and e-mopeds than Europe and North America combined.
The inclusion of a license plate holder on the rear fender could indicate that Honda is aiming at more than just electric bicycle-class designation, and instead targeting full moped status for the upcoming two-wheeler. In many jurisdictions across North America, Europe, and Asia, mopeds have more lax license requirements but can sometimes still be required to bare a number plate for identification.
Do you think a lightweight electric moped like this could help Honda get some skin in the game when it comes to electric two-wheelers? Could you see yourself cruising your town on a modern day electric Honda Cub moped?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
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Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
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