JAPAN REPORT
Yamaha plans to launch a series of electric motorcycles in Japan and overseas this spring. Electric motorcycles with an engine displacement equivalent to 125cc will be leased and sold on a trial basis in Europe, Japan and other countries. In response to the global trend of decarbonization, Yamaha has set a goal of reducing CO2 emissions to virtually zero by 2050. The 125cc equivalent electric motorcycle has been on the market in Taiwan, but this is the first time it has been offered in Europe and Japan.
The motorcycle has been developed based on the E01 concept vehicle, which was unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The company avoided mentioning specifics about the range and other specifications but said that the E01 would be equipped with a high-powered fixed battery that can run at high speed while meeting the range requirements for daily use, and that it would support quick charging as well as normal charging.
Like the E01, the 50cc equivalent electric motorcycle, developed based on the E02 unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, is planned to go on sale in Europe this spring. President Hidaka said that the 125cc equivalent will be “marketed as widely as possible (in Asia and other regions) in the future,” but the 50cc equivalent has yet to be launched outside of Europe, where there is demand for city driving.
The “E01” is a 125cc equivalent (rated output of 1 kW or less) urban commuter that can also be quickly recharged, while the “E02” is a 50cc equivalent (rated output of 0.6 kW or less) that can be easily used with a removable battery.
Of the 86,000 motorcycles sold in Japan in 2020, 9,000 of the Beano engine models were sold annually, but only 500 of the electric models were sold.
The company will compete with Chinese companies, which have an advantage in terms of price, safety and other factors. It is essential to reduce costs, especially for batteries, to shift to electric vehicles.
Source: The Nikkei
PSR Analysis: There is no doubt that the electric motorcycle market will grow significantly in the global, eroding the traditional gasoline model market. However, if we look only at the Japanese market, the trend may be on a much smaller scale.
One of the main reasons for this is the small acceptance of motorcycles in Japan. In the 1980s, when the driving manners of young riders and traffic accidents became a social problem, there was a belief that motorcycles were not good for the world and were dangerous vehicles. Some people may laugh at the idea that this was a long time ago, 30 to 40 years ago, but for those who were adolescents back then, this kind of social imprinting has had a surprisingly large impact on them.
A web search on the word “motorcycle image” shows that not a few people have a negative impression of motorcycles. Even though high school students are old enough to obtain a motorcycle license, in reality, they could not ride a motorcycle even if they were interested due to school rules or parental decisions at home. There was a time when it was considered socially acceptable to forbid it. As a result of this situation that has lasted for a long time, the number of parking spaces for motorcycles remains infinitely small, even in urban areas.
Both Yamaha and Honda are aware that the development of electric motorcycles is the key to their survival, and they are working hard to improve the performance and safety of their bikes and release them at internationally competitive prices. However, one of the main reasons why such models have to be leased is that the market is not ready for them to become popular in the domestic general market. Have you ever heard of the anime movie “AKIRA” that depicts the fictional year 2019? The main character was riding an extremely stylish EV bike. The movie was released 30 years ago, but the reality is not quite like the movie. Just like the shocking launch of the iPhone and the instantaneous development of the 5G environment, the motorcycle market may need a shocking product launch. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
