Last month, Honda announced its plans to introduce a total of 10 electric motorcycles and scooters by 2025. One of them is likely to be an all-electric version of the legendary Honda Super Cub.
Recently, images of the industrial design registered for the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle have been revealed. These images are part of the documentation submitted by Honda to the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
In fact, the first conceptual images of the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle were leaked back in July 2020. Back in 2015, Honda introduced an electric motorcycle concept called the Electric Super Cub.
From the new images, it can be seen that the all-electric Honda Super Cub has a simple and compact design. The bike appears to still use an underbone frame and is equipped with a round LED headlight at the front, a small front fender, a flat and spacious footrest, and a single seat. When commercially produced, Honda may equip this electric motorcycle model with a double seat.
Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle with a single seat
Furthermore, the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle will have relatively large cast wheels, expected to have a diameter of 17 inches. The front wheel will have a disc brake while the rear wheel will use a drum brake. The bike may be equipped with Honda’s familiar Combined Braking System (CBS). The rear wheel will also have an electric motor with the assistance of pedals through a chain.
The electric motor of the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle is located on the rear wheel
Although it has pedals, the all-electric Honda Super Cub is classified as an electric motorcycle rather than an electric bicycle. Unlike electric bicycles, electric motorcycles are a segment that requires users to register and purchase insurance but have higher speeds, with a maximum limit of 48 km/h.
It is highly likely that the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle will be equipped with Honda’s Mobile Power Pack e: (MPP e:) battery. With this battery, users can swap batteries instead of waiting for recharging. This battery type is currently used in some Honda electric motorcycle models in the Japanese market. The battery pack of the Honda Super Cub is predicted to be a 48V MPP e: type and placed horizontally under the footrest.
The battery of the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle is located under the footrest
It comes as no surprise that Honda has decided to develop low-performance electric motorcycles instead of electric scooters. Currently, motorcycles and bicycles account for about 90% of the sales in the global electric two-wheeler market. Approximately 50 million electric motorcycles and bicycles are sold each year, mostly in the Chinese market.
According to the plan, Honda will release 5 electric motorcycles and bicycles from 2022 to 2024. From 2024 to 2025, Honda will continue to introduce 4 electric motorcycle models. These will include a maxi scooter, a roadster, a cruiser, and a children’s bike. In this same period, Honda also plans to launch 2 electric motorcycles with a performance equivalent to a 125 cc scooter. It is highly likely that the Honda Super Cub electric motorcycle will be officially unveiled between 2022 and 2024.