Honda is stepping up its electrical scooter sport with the launch of its second electrical mannequin for Europe, the CUV e:. Following Honda’s earlier debut of the EM1 e:, a compact, city-focused moped, the CUV e: brings extra energy, extra vary, and extra real-world usability to riders who desire a sensible electrical various to a 125cc scooter.
Now lastly prepared for the highlight, the CUV e: is constructed on an underbone-style body and powered by a 6 kW side-mounted electrical motor producing 22 Nm of torque. That places it squarely within the 125cc-equivalent class, permitting it to achieve a prime velocity of 83 km/h (52 mph).
It’s not constructed for the freeway, however quite for city and suburban riders who wish to obtain speeds seen on the quickest of city roads and sustain with nearly any visitors within the metropolis. For that function, it appears like a strong performer – greater than able to maintaining with metropolis visitors or carrying a second passenger.
Some of the helpful options, particularly for city residents and condominium dwellers, is its use of Honda’s Cell Energy Pack e: swappable battery system. The scooter carries two of those Gogoro-style detachable battery items, every rated at 50 V and 1.3 kWh. Mixed, they provide over 70 km (43 miles) of WMTC-rated vary. In comparison with the Honda EM1 e:’s single Cell Energy Pack battery, the twin batteries of the CUV e: give Honda the possibility to drag twice as a lot energy or supply twice the vary.
Honda’s swappable battery customary is designed for portability and lengthy life, with every pack weighing round 10 kg (22 lb) and rated for two,500 full cost cycles. Honda has been slowly constructing a swappable battery ecosystem, and the CUV e: is clearly meant to be a part of that bigger infrastructure play.
Charging of the batteries is designed to be completed simply off-board, both at dwelling or at a battery station (the place obtainable). A full cost from 0 to 100% takes about six hours per pack, however Honda says 75% might be reached in simply three hours. Whereas quick charging could be good, the swappable format means riders can hold an additional pair charged and prepared if crucial, eliminating downtime altogether.
Honda didn’t skimp on options, both. The CUV e: gives three journey modes (Sport, Normal, and Econ), plus Reverse Help for simpler maneuvering. It features a pretty spacious flat floorboard, under-seat storage, LED lighting, a USB-C port, and keyless ignition. Consumers can select between a five-inch coloration TFT show or an upgraded seven-inch “RoadSync Duo” display screen, which helps turn-by-turn navigation, music management, Bluetooth cellphone integration, and EV-specific journey information.
Positioned as a mid-range electrical scooter, the CUV e: fills the house between low-speed mopeds and bigger, premium e-motorcycles. It’s a key piece in Honda’s broader electrification technique, which goals to introduce 10 or extra electrical bike fashions globally by 2025 and attain full carbon neutrality in its bike division by the 2040s.
With anticipated pricing beginning at round €4,000 (roughly US $4,300), the CUV e: is predicted to roll out in Europe first, with different international markets doubtlessly following. Its mixture of sensible vary, average velocity, excessive construct high quality, and swappable batteries may make it an interesting possibility in cities the place electrical two-wheelers are on the rise.
If the EM1 e: was Honda dipping a toe into the electrical waters, the CUV e: looks like a assured step ahead. It’s not flashy, nevertheless it’s purposeful, well-designed, and undeniably helpful, which is precisely the type of machine that would assist electrical scooters go mainstream.
