Honda Plans Personal Electric Motorcycles

News: Production

2023-04-18

Honda Plans Personal Electric Motorcycles

JAPAN REPORT

Honda said it plans to produce a motor-driven electric motorcycle for individuals in Japan by the end of 2023. This will be the first time Honda produces a product for the public in Japan.

Overall, Honda said it plans to launch more than 10 models of electric motorcycles worldwide by 2025. Their goal is to increase overall sales, including pedal-powered and electric bicycles, mainly in China and India. The company plans to increase its sales to 3.5 million units worldwide by 2030, more than 20 times the 2021 level.

The EM1e electric scooter was unveiled March 17, 2023, in Japan. It has a cruising range of approximately 40 km and uses replaceable batteries. The price is expected to be higher than gasoline-powered scooters with a displacement of about 50 liters. The company plans to launch the moped equipped with pedals that can be pedaled with the feet, and five other motorized bicycle models in China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Japan by 2024.

Electric motorcycles face the problem that on-board batteries are expensive and production costs are more than 50% higher than those of internal combustion engine models. Honda plans to increase its global sales to 1 million units by 2026, and further to 3.5 million units by 2030. However, demand for internal combustion engines is strong in emerging countries, and Honda intends to maintain its annual production capacity of 20 million two-wheeled gasoline vehicles until 2030.

Source: The Nikkei

PSR Analysis: Honda is finally bringing an electric model to the consumer market. Yamaha already sells the E-Vino to individuals. Harley is spinning off its electric motorcycle division to attract investment, and India’s Hero will release its VIDA electric motorcycle in 2022 and is working with a U.S. company to develop new products.

All companies are very ambitious about electric motorcycles, but there are still many challenges to be overcome before they become widespread. As a first mover example, Taiwan’s Gogoro is doing well by developing a network of battery exchange stations. Honda’s EM1e is equipped with a single replaceable battery, and by taking the battery pack home after use and recharging it at a power outlet at home, the vehicle can start running the next day with a fully charged battery.

The handle makes the battery look easy to carry, but at 10.3 kg, it may be difficult for women to accept it. The spread of battery exchange station networks like those in Taiwan has just begun in Japan, and charging stations in urban areas are still in their infancy. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia for Power Systems Research

Vingroup To Enter EV Cab Market

VIETNAM REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Vingroup plans to launch a cab business using EVs in the country in April. The founder and chairman of the company has established a new company, owning a 95% stake. The company plans to start the service in Hanoi, the capital of the country, and expand it nationwide within the year. The company also hopes to increase awareness of its products.

The new company, Green and Smart Mobility (GSM), is capitalized at US$ 128 million (VND3 trillion, approximately 17 billion yen) and will develop a cab business using EVs as well as a business that rents EVs and electric bikes to other cab companies, etc. GSM plans to use 10,000 EVs and 100,000 electric bikes.

Source: The Nikkei

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2023-03-26

Hyundai Agrees To Purchase GM India Talegaon Plant

INDIA REPORT
Aditya Kondejkar

The agreement covers the acquisition of land and buildings and certain machinery and manufacturing equipment at the General Motors India, Talegaon plant. The proposed acquisition is subject to the signing of a definitive asset purchase agreement, other certain conditions and receipt of approvals from government authorities and stakeholders.

Source: Economic Times    Read The Article

PSR Analysis. Hyundai is expected to expand its annual production capacity in India to some 900,000 units–760,000 units in its two existing plants and 130,000 units in the GM plant. Combined with production volume of its smaller Kia’s two plants in India, the total production capacity of Hyundai Motor Group could surpass 1 million units per year.

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Komatsu To Cut China Production Capacity by 40%

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

Komatsu says it plans to restructure its business in China this year, cutting its annual production capacity of construction machinery equipment in China by nearly 40% to 10,000 units.

At the same time, due to sluggish market demand, it will merge its equipment production subsidiary and its parts subsidiary in Jining City, Shandong Province. The production subsidiary and casting subsidiary based in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, also will be merged.

Komatsu’s production subsidiaries in the two provinces previously terminated their joint venture relationship. Even if the annual production capacity is reduced to 10,000 units, it is expected that local production capacity will enable Komatsu to increase exports to Southeast Asia and other regions.

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2023-02-20

Hyundai Keeps Gamma Engine in Units for Colombia

The new HB20 auto landed in Colombia with new body but is powered by an old engine. Hyundai Motor Brazil started exporting the new face lifted compact with an engine that the hatchback no longer fits versions running in Brazil.

The Colombian version is exported with the 1.6 16V aspirated Gamma engine.

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Hitech Electric To Produce 100% EV LCVs

Hitech Electric to produce 100% electric LCVs by March, with sales plans of 1,000 vehicles per year. In partnership with Positivo Tecnologia, (and its corporate venture capital (CVC) program) the assembly line will start with 50 units per month and possibly expand to 100 in the short term. The plant will be located in Campo Largo, Parana.

The vehicles will have a powertrain and battery produced by WEG, the Brazilian Electric equipment manufacturer. The batteries will feature non-flammable lithium iron phosphate. Product lineup includes a last mile utility vehicle and a 1.2-ton light truck.  

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January Brazil Truck Production Drops 72%

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Truck production in Brazil in January was 4,049 units vs. 14,614 units in December per  Anfavea (the association that represents the automakers installed in the Brazil) monthly

Read The Article

PSR Analysis: This decline was expected due to the introduction of PROCONVE P8, the regulation in line with Euro VI, that reduces the toxic gas emission limits and therefore increases the complexity and the price of new trucks.

Under that regulation, OEMs have the right to sell Trucks at PROCONVE P7 (Euro V) produced in 2022 until March 31, 2023. This caused a pre-production and inventory increase to sell trucks with lower price at the beginning of 2023.

The Anfavea forecast points to a reduction in MHV production from 192,000 to 154,000, but their calculation on Sales, Exports and Stock does not match. Subscribers of Power Systems Research data and intelligence can see a well-balanced forecast, considering different stock level by subsegment of GVW.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director, Business Development-South America, for Power Systems Research

Hyundai To Start Operations at Plant in Vietnam

FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

A joint venture between South Korea’s Hyundai Motor and Vietnamese conglomerate Thanh Cong Group has started operations of an automobile plant in the northern Vietnamese province of Ninh Binh.

With an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles, the combined annual production capacity with the existing plant will reach 180,000 by 2025. The company will ship domestically as well as to neighboring countries. The new plant, operated by the joint venture Hyundai Thanh Cong, will have an investment of 3.2 trillion dong (about 18 billion yen). The plant will cover an area of approximately 50 hectares and include a test driving course.

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