The Honda Ruckus has earned cult standing because of its minimalist styling, uncovered body, and seemingly countless customizability. The scooter, additionally identified in worldwide markets because the Honda Zoomer, has spent years being seen as a clean canvas for scooter tuners, city commuters, and anybody who simply wished one thing easy, small, and type of bizarre to zip round city. A number of years in the past, Honda lastly answered the decision for an up to date model by saying and producing the “Zoomer e:”, which was an electrical model of the Honda Ruckus. So the place is it?
When Honda launched the all-electric model of the Ruckus, the Zoomer e:, again in 2023, many followers hoped it was solely a matter of time earlier than we noticed it quietly glide onto U.S. streets.
However two years later, there’s nonetheless no signal of a stateside launch, and no indication that Honda plans to vary that anytime quickly.
The Zoomer e: was first launched in China in early 2023 alongside two different retro-inspired electrics: the Cub e: and Dax e:.
The Zoomer e: retains the stripped-down, industrial look of the basic gas-powered Ruckus, however swaps the 49cc engine for a 400W rear hub motor and a 48V 24Ah battery (round 1.15 kWh).
It was initially given a high velocity of a mere 25 km/h (15.5 mph) to maintain it avenue authorized as an electrical bicycle in its first market of China, the place it additionally got here with practical however stubby pedals so riders might fake it was really pedalable.
The primary model of the electrical scooter claimed a spread of as much as 80–90 km (50–56 miles) from its detachable lithium-ion battery, relying on circumstances.
We’ve since seen the efficiency bumped as much as 40 km/h (25 mph) high speeds when the scooter was launched into the Philippines market, the place the native L1B classification allowed for larger speeds. It’s pretty apparent that the efficiency could be software-tweaked by Honda relying in the marketplace, although prone to a restrict. To realize speeds a lot larger than 25 mph, a motor and controller swap could also be required, although neither can be sophisticated.
In different phrases, the electrical Ruckus’ debut revealed an ultra-lightweight, street-legal runabout designed for nations with expansive low-speed e-bike legal guidelines. However within the U.S., these kinds of quasi-e-bikes which might be really scooters are few and much between. The identical efficiency could be had from a $1,000 electrical bicycle, and actually, Class 3 e-bikes within the US can go practically twice as quick as the unique electrical Ruckus.
So Honda clearly hasn’t been in a rush to convey its low-spec model of the bike to the US market, the place it could be a slower and heavier competitor to the wide selection of low-cost imported electrical bicycles. Nonetheless, its iconic design and cultural legacy have saved enthusiasm up for riders who’ve managed to privately import their very own fashions. One Redditor seems to have imported two Honda Zoomer e: fashions in components to assemble within the US, whereas another person posted a YouTube video of his utterly assembled Honda Dax e: mannequin that was launched alongside the Zoomer e:.
Regardless of clear client curiosity and a rising marketplace for low-speed electrical autos, in addition to Honda’s personal confirmed curiosity in rising its electrical scooter market, the corporate hasn’t made any strikes to launch the Zoomer e: within the US. That’s not shocking since America nonetheless lacks a sturdy electrical scooter tradition (or perhaps a gasoline scooter tradition, for that matter), and something motorcycle-shaped that doesn’t hit 30+ mph tends to get handed over by mainstream consumers.
However maybe that might change in the future. Technically, bringing the Zoomer e: to the US wouldn’t be a monumental activity for Honda. The U.S. is a self-certify nation, that means Honda might design a model that meets federal automobile security requirements, beef up the motor and controller for larger speeds, and promote it as both a Class 2/3 e-bike, or maybe extra appropriately, as a low-speed bike with a high velocity within the 35-45 mph vary (55-70 km/h).
With the rise of micromobility, electrification, and rising frustration with car-centric cities, now may really be the proper time for a reborn electrical Ruckus to hit US roads. However till Honda decides to take that step, American riders must hold dreaming – or begin importing.
