Yamaha is considering to base it on the River Indie platform. It will rival other sporty scooters like the Ather 450X, Simple One and the Ola S1 Pro
Quick News Highlights:
- Yamaha EV is likely to be launched in the next few years
- One of the possibilities is that it could use a heavily modified version of the River Indie platform
- End result will likely be a sporty scooter
An online report suggests that Yamaha could be working on a sporty electric scooter. It is not very clear if the platform used for the electric scooter will be designed particularly for the Indian market or for the world as well.
Yamaha also invested in the Bengaluru-based EV company ‘Ride River’ a year ago in February 2024. Moreover, the Japanese manufacturer reportedly said that it is exploring the possibilities of utilising the River Indie electric scooter’s platform for its upcoming electric scooter for the Indian market.
Additionally, Yamaha also reportedly said that it is planning to bring a more sporty and performance-focused electric scooter instead of a mass-market family-focused electric scooter as it will be suitable for the brand’s sporty image. However, Yamaha has acknowledged the fact that making a high-speed electric scooter means it will be expensive to manufacture, and will likely be priced on the higher side.
Here’s What We Think
The River Indie is a practical and utilitarian electric scooter and has a boxy design. The scooter is equipped with a 4kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a mid-mounted motor, the scooter produces 6.7kW and 26Nm, which is not extraordinarily high output and is similar to other e-scooters in the market.
So, if Yamaha decides to use the River Indie electric scooter platform for its upcoming performance-focused electric scooter, the Japanese manufacturer will have to heavily modify the River Indie platform to transform it into a sporty scooter. Moreover, Yamaha will also have to figure out its logistics and supply chain as none of Yamaha’s manufacturing plants are in Karnataka, which is the hub of EVs in India with a robust electric two-wheeler supply chain.
Yamaha taking its time to develop the product can also provide some advantages to the manufacturer. By the time the Yamaha sporty scooter arrives in India, the EV subsidies will be gone as the government has planned to end them in 2026.
This delay will also allow Yamaha to study how the Indian market reacts to the other e-scooters from other Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Suzuki and where they are lacking. Based on subsidy changes and market response, Yamaha will be able to set a better price for its upcoming sporty electric scooter, and also tweak its specifications as per the demand trend.
Representative images used
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