Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India (HMSI) stepped into the world of EVs with the launch of Activa E and QC1 late last year. One of the biggest highlights of the Activa E was its batteryswapping technology. However, there are certain concerns which prevent traditional buyers from switching to the fullyelectric Activa E.
The removable battery setup doesn’t offer any noticeable space to store any belongings under the seat. Moreover, the biggest concern is the lack of swappable battery stations in the country which are fewer than charging stations. While Honda isn’t likely to address the lack of underseat storage anytime soon, the latter is likely to be addressed soon.
According to Autocar India, Honda is likely to introduce a home charging option for the Activa E. This won’t be like any other charging option which is used for a fixed battery pack. The report says that the Japanese auto giant will introduce a charging dock, which can be used to charge the battery packs at home. This setup is offered in the CUV e: scooter offered in Europe.
We already knew the Indiaspec Activa e: is a slight revised version of the CUV e: and the specifications and features speak for themselves. Much like the Activa e:, the CUV e: also lacks an onboard charging port, meaning you can’t recharge the batteries while they remain mounted on the scooter. Instead, Honda provides a separate charging dock where you can place the removable battery packs for charging.
According to Honda, a full charge from 0 to 100 percent takes approximately 6 hours, while charging from 25 to 75 percent requires around 3 hours using the supplied 270W offboard charger. It’s important to note that these figures apply to the Europeanspec CUV e:, which is equipped with a 2.6kWh battery system split into two 1.3kWh packs weighing 10.2kg each. In comparison, the Indianspec Activa e: features a larger 3 kWh battery, divided into two 1.5 kWh removable units.
While this feature isn’t as straightforward and convenient as a simple wallbox home charging point, it is definitely much easier to bring the battery pack home and charge it using the dock. Owners wouldn’t have to worry about the lack of a battery swapping station in their vicinity. It will also give Honda an opportunity to expand its EV footprint beyond the centres where such battery swapping stations aren’t available.
At present, Honda’s battery swapping stations are limited in number and primarily located in Bengaluru. However, the company plans to expand this network to other major metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi in the near future. Currently, the Activa e: is available exclusively under the BaaS (Battery as a Service) model, with battery management handled by Honda’s subsidiary, Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited.
