The EV future of India looks set for an impending boom as several manufacturers, both new and established, are coming up with exemplary electric two-wheeler models. Among the mainstays, there are still quite a few brands that have not yet come up with electric two-wheelers of their own. Chief among them is Yamaha, a popular name in the scooter space, which has kickstarted plans to make its mark on the electric two-wheeler space with detailed plans for their EV platform and the launch of a hybrid scooter.
Yamaha, an important name in the realm of motorcycles, has two scooter models in the market currently, the Fascino 125 and the Ray ZR 125, both popular models that have been launched recently with updated engines and features. With their excellent pedigree in scooter development and high standards of quality, it is not a leap of imagination to believe that their EV offerings will be extremely competitive and quality products.
Let us take a look at these recent developments at Yamaha India.
Plans on for EV Platform
According to recent reports, Yamaha is currently engaged in developing plans for an EV platform that is primarily meant for India, along with several other foreign markets. According to a recent communication with Motofumi Shitara, the chairman of Yamaha Motor India group, the company has placed a dedicated team at their headquarters in Japan to work on an all-new EV platform that will power the company’s offering in the near future for India and the global market. Of special note is the fact that Yamaha already has a significant amount of expertise and technology in developing and manufacturing electric vehicles courtesy of its work in Taiwan, where it has been manufacturing EVs for two years now in association with Gogoro.
Shitara further iterated that there are very specifics challenges in India that would need careful handling. According to him, whether the company will make a fresh round of investments is still undecided. On the contrary, he called for the Indian government to establish a clear, stable policy with regard with electric vehicles and to present a solid road map for the future. Therefore, this is what Yamaha will wait for before establishing a stronger foothold in India.
In this context, it is important to remember that while the government has already taken some crucial steps for EV manufacture and adoption in the form of its FAME II scheme, which has led to massive incentive for electric two-wheelers manufacturers and encouraged a large swathe of the population to invest in EV adoption as manufacturers have passed on these incentives to customers in the form of discounts. However, there are still quite a few concerns, especially regarding policies about infrastructure and state-by-state EV policies.
This was highlighted recently when more than one international EV manufacturer highlighter receiving varying levels of support from different states regarding infrastructure and policies, including Tesla and Triton EV. A consistent, uniform policy regarding infrastructure and more states coming on board can surely make things more conducive for investment in EV development and local manufacture and assembly.
Shitara also made another important point, insisting that public opinion will only sway convincingly towards EV adoption when there are enough EV charging stations, battery production facilities, and battery swapping infrastructure in the country. He confirmed that, once these roadblocks are sufficiently addressed, Yamaha plans to not only introduce but also manufacture electric vehicles locally in India that would be the right time to decide on any further investment.
Yamaha Launches India’s First Hybrid Scooter
As a first step of Yamaha’s commitment into entering the EV space in India, the company recently released the first mild hybrid scooter in the country. Rather than being a new model, it is a mild hybrid version of the already popular Yamaha Fascino 125 FI, the neo-retro scooter that enjoys a healthy share of the market.
Launched at an attractive price point, the Yamaha Fascino 125 FI hybrid comes in two trims – one with drum brakes and a higher model with disc brakes. The model is supposed to replace the existing Fascino model and set the standard for more manufacturers to come up with mild hybrid versions of existing popular scooters.
The hybrid engine in the Fascino 125 FI hybrid is what sets it apart. Technically, Yamaha is using the same engine in the outgoing model, the smooth, refined 125cc engine. However, they have now added a Smart Motor Generator (SMG) that can provide mild hybrid assist to the existing silent start system.
The SMG is a small electric motor that is meant to provide assistance to the throttle in particular situations. In effect, it provides a small boost in power when you are getting started from a standstill, or when you are going uphill and need the extra power. When the power assist function is automatically enabled, the rider gets a notification to that effect in the instrument console. The assist function is automatically turned off if the rider closes the throttle, the scooter engine reaches a pre-determined RPM, or after a time period of three seconds, whichever comes earlier.
While this is a simple mild hybrid system and nothing like the hybrid systems in hybrid cars, it does manage to give the rider quite a bit of a quality-of-life upgrade, making for smoother and more convenient operation during daily commutes. Also, the new hybrid version of the Fascino makes up to 10.3Nm of torque, compared with the 9.7Nm of the outgoing model. Tests have revealed the scooter to be one of the most fuel-efficient BS6 125cc scooters available in India.
The new hybrid is available in 9 colour options and has a digital display that is compatible with Yamaha’s Motorcycle Connect X system.
The Road Ahead for Yamaha
This first step towards Yamaha’s entrance in the Indian EV landscape is surely an encouraging sign of a bright future. As the central and state governments continue to address some of the concerns being voiced here, we can hope that Yamaha, one of the largest global brands, would eventually join the ranks of established brands like TVS, Hero, and Bajaj and upstarts like Ather and Simple Energy in the electric two-wheeler market in India.
