Honda’s EV motorcycle offensive includes one just for kids

Honda plans to launch at least 10 all-electric motorcycles by 2025, including one for children, as demand for business-use bikes rises worldwide.

The world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer said Tuesday that it’s targeting annual sales of 1 million electric motorcycles within the next five years. It announced a number of changes to its motorcycle lineup, including more models with swappable or all-solid-state batteries, toward its goal to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Honda said it expects electric motorcycles to comprise 15% of its bike business by 2030, boosted by burgeoning demand in China, India and elsewhere in Asia. The revamped lineup will include at least two electric commuter motorcycles and three larger models in Europe and Asia over the next three years.

The company didn’t provide details on the “Kids Fun EV” model but said in a statement that it is “designed to pass on the joy of riding to the next generation.”

The automaker also said it plans to shift its business model to a mix of hardware and recurring software sales, rather than being dependent upon just hardware. Starting with a commuter bike scheduled to go on sale in 2024, Honda’s Drivemode software subsidiary will add features that provide charging notifications and calculate the optimal route based on remaining battery range.

Swappable batteries are crucial to the e-bike industry’s growth, especially in emerging countries where range and charging time may be limited. Honda operates or plans to establish joint ventures with battery-sharing services in India, Japan, Indonesia and Bali.

Honda already supplies electric motorcycles for mail delivery in Japan, Vietnam and Thailand, where it is conducting trials with Thailand Post Company Limited. The Honda e: Business Bike series models use the Honda Mobile Power Pack (MPP), a small swappable battery that stores electricity generated by renewable energy.

“In emerging nations, especially, there is high demand for motorcycles, mainly commuter models, as a lifeline of people in their everyday life,” the company said in a statement.