Honda this month announced a bold company strategy that will see the development of new electrified models, including a high-performance electric sportsbike, in the coming years.
At a recent press conference, Honda Motor Company representative director Toshihiro Mibe revealed targets for alternatively powered vehicles across both its car and bike product line-ups, confirming the release of at least three new electric bikes by 2024.
While Honda aims to make 100 per cent of its car range either electric- or hydrogen-powered by 2040, it stopped short of announcing a cut-off date for its petrol motorcycles.
As well as moving to more sustainable energy sources, Honda says it will strive for “zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles” by 2050, which it believes can be achieved by way of its advanced driver assistance technologies.
“The major challenge we will face as we work toward this goal is how to eliminate motorcycle collision fatalities, especially in emerging countries,” said Honda in a recent statement.
“As a company that has both motorcycle and automobile businesses, we will continue to strengthen our research on safety technologies that enable motorcycles and automobiles to safely coexist and lead the way in realizing a collision-free society from the standpoint of both hardware and software.”
The first Honda electric motorcycles to materialise will be small urban mobility models that are unlikely to suit the Australian market, however, the brand says it will later release a larger ‘fun’ model that appears to take the shape of a performance-focussed sportsbike.
Honda is not the only major manufacturer quietly developing electric motorcycles, with the likes of BMW and Triumph preparing for a shift to emissions free platforms.
Earlier this year, Triumph revealed design sketches for an all-new electric naked bike reminiscent of its current Speed Triple and Street Triple, albeit with an electric powertrain.
At the time, Triumph’s chief product officer Steve Sargent stressed the importance of developing electric bikes that meet the tastes of today’s motorcyclists.
“The starting point for us in the TE-1 project was to gather important customer feedback about what riders really want from their motorcycles and understand how an electric motorcycle can provide the experience that riders desire,” said Mr Sargent.
“This includes considering the type of riding, range, feel and nature of power and torque delivery together with the ergonomics and bike controls.”
Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
