Honda Launches Its First EVs In India With Swappable Battery Option
The ACTIVA e: model is a swappable battery technology model, and the QC1 is a fixed battery model. The company will be announcing the prices of the models in January.
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India entered the electric vehicle race in India with the introduction of ‘ACTIVA e:’ and ‘QC1.’ The ACTIVA e: model is a swappable battery technology model, and the QC1 is a fixed battery model. The company will be announcing the prices of the models in January.
Both these electric scooters will be sold via HMSI’s existing selected dealer network. The ACTIVA e: will be available in Delhi, Mumbai, & Bengaluru with deliveries starting from February 2025 onwards. The QC1 will be initially available in select cities from February 2025 onwards.
"It is a challenging day for Honda as we launch our EV. There already are electric vehicles in India; we are a bit late, but we will try to start up with our EV business. Our Honda ICE share is 29% currently, and we aim to achieve a similar target in the EV segment," Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India's President and Chief Executive Officer Tsutsumu Otani told NDTV Profit.
Both the EV models will be manufactured at HMSI’s Narsapura plant near Bengaluru in Karnataka. These models will be offered with a three-year or 50,000 km warranty along with three free services for the first year. Free roadside assistance for the first year will also be provided.
The ACTIVA e: is equipped with an all-LED headlight and tail lamp along with smiling DRLs. The vehicle has elements like a dual-tone seat, 12-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a flat footboard, & a sturdy grabrail. It will be available in two variants—ACTIVA e: and ACTIVA e: Honda RoadSync Duo—along with five colours, the company said in a statement.
The swappable batteries can be exchanged with the help of designated Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: (BeX swapping stations) planned across the city. It is already live in Bengaluru and Delhi and will soon be started in Mumbai as well.
The QC1 is offered in five colour options. It is powered by a 1.5 kWh fixed battery pack that has Charging the QC1 can be done at home with a 330-watt off-board home charger that comes with an auto-cut technology. It can be charged from 0 to 80% in 4 hours and 30 minutes, while a full juice-up will take 6 hours and 50 minutes, the company said.
