Honda has made headlines with the announcement of its new electric scooter, the Activa e:, marking the company's commitment to electrification in the Indian market. The Activa e: was globally premiered on November 27, 2024, alongside another model, the QC1 e-scooter. Bookings for the Activa e: are set to begin on January 1, 2025, but prospective buyers will have to wait for the price announcement, which is expected at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo beginning January 17, 2025.
Set to deliver the Activa e: starting from February 2025, Honda aims to integrate this latest electric scooter with features developed from its best-selling petrol counterpart, the Activa. The electric variant, sharing much of its design with the conventional Activa, is expected to have a competitive price point around INR 80,000 (ex-showroom) based on its rivals which include Hero Vida V2, Bajaj Chetak 2903, Ola S1 X, and TVS iQube.
The Activa e: stands out not only for its design but also for its advanced features, which include all-LED lighting, 12-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, and sophisticated H-Smart technology offering features like Smart Find and Smart Unlock. A 7-inch TFT instrument console will provide navigation and connectivity options with the RoadSync Duo app.
Unlike the typical process of plugging scooters for charging, the Activa e: operates on Honda's innovative battery swapping system where users can exchange depleted battery packs at dedicated stations. This approach, which has found success in countries like Taiwan, is being introduced to tackle the existing charging infrastructure challenges within India. Notably, Honda has initiated 85 battery swapping stations across Bengaluru, which is already prepared for the rollout of this new service.
While deliveries are set to proceed as planned for Bengaluru, the same cannot be said for Delhi and Mumbai. Honda has acknowledged delays for these two cities as the battery swapping infrastructure is not yet fully established. Reports indicate the rollout in these cities may now commence as late as April 2025.
The current situation is particularly challenging for Delhi, where only about 10 swapping stations have been installed, and they are predominantly located in the city’s central areas. Given Delhi's vastness, significant more stations are needed to cater to potential customer demand. On the other hand, Mumbai's battery swapping network remains entirely uncharted with no operational or planned stations available yet.
According to Honda Power Pack Energy India, the company intends to expand its battery swapping network to encompass 500 stations by March 2026 across all three cities, which would greatly alleviate concerns surrounding battery access and convenience for EV adopters. The prospect of customers only paying for the energy consumed instead of upfront battery costs could ease financial pressures for many buyers.
Not only does the battery swapping framework offer financial relief, but it also enhances safety, allowing users to avoid the risks associated with charging batteries within their homes. The Activa e:, with its three driving modes—Econ, Standard, and Sport, as well as capable of speeds up to 80 km/h—positions itself as versatile and user-friendly for modern consumers.
With Honda's pivot to electric scooter production, analysts predict this move could significantly reshape the Indian electric two-wheeler market. The company's extensive plans for battery swapping and the anticipated popularity of aesthetics and functionality of the Activa e: demonstrate Honda's strategy to overcome traditional barriers faced by consumers transitioning to electric scooters.
Overall, with its Activa e:, Honda sets the stage not just for its own growth but also for fostering wider acceptance of electric mobility solutions across India. The influx of battery swapping technology, combined with Honda's established brand presence, may prove to be game-changing for the industry's future.