from https://www.financialexpress.com
Electric Honda motorcycle in the works: Leaked patent images depict bike to be based on CB125R
Honda patent images reveal a new electric motorcycle that seems to be based on the existing CB125R. The patents show a Neo Sports Café inspired motorcycle with chassis parts of the CB125R but with an electric motor.
It was rather sudden focus on electric motorcycles grew but soon the global markets were dotted with electric two-wheeler startups. Did they pay attention to a segment that would see growth at a time when mainstream players didn’t? That may have been the case but now, the story got different when Harley-Davidson rolled out in its first electric motorcycle. Kawasaki is working on an electric Ninja and Royal Enfield has an ongoing electric motorcycle project. And now, the word is that Honda too is stepping in the game. According to a report by Visordown, Honda seems to be working on multiple electric motorcycle models.
The report mentions patent images that depict an electric motorcycle based on the Honda CB125R, adding that the manufacturer recently patented design for the electric CB125R hinting that the bike likely in its final stages of development.
There is so far no confirmation from the company and Honda have not given it a name yet either. But the patent images do show frame from a CB125R that houses an electric powertrain, along with drawings of the electric motor as well. The motor seems to be a slim pancake-style design with a large diameter that should make it easier to fit onto the slim frame of the CB125R.
The Honda electric motorcycle will not be one of those performance EVs and would likely have similar power figures as its petrol-powered counterpart. The ICE (internal combustion engine) CB125R puts out 13 hp and does speeds of up to 130 km/h. The electric version could offer similar speeds but initial acceleration may be quicker given that electric motors deliver maximum torque the moment you twist open the throttle.
The patent images suggest the electric version of the CB125R could share about 75% of its components with the petrol-powered Honda CB125R. That should make the development process simpler and hence easier and quicker to roll out in the market.
