At the launch event of Yamaha MT-15, top officials confirmed that might consider an electric scooter for India, but it will not be a mass-market product.
In a couple of years, the Indian market will be flooded with electric vehicles. Many automotive brands and startups are developing new EVs for the market, including bikes, cars, rickshaws and scooters.
In the electric two-wheeler department, there are only 2 premium E-scooters – Okinawa i-Praise and Ather. The list will also include an electric scooter from Yamaha in future.
At the launch event of MT-15, the Japanese two-wheeler giant confirmed to ET Auto that they are developing an electric scooter on a global level. The India launch is on the cards, once the infrastructure and demand is better.
Also Read: Yamaha to bring more premium two wheelers to India- Report
Currently, most of the electric two-wheeler are made for the masses. However, Yamaha plans to make it a premium scooter and not a mass-market one. Of course, it will be injected with the brand’s performance.
Hero Electric and Avan Motors are developing electric scooters which are priced under Rs 60000. Okinawa also has a couple of models which are affordable. Whereas Ather 340 and 450 are priced above Rs 1 Lakh.
India, currently, is in the stage of development of infrastructure for electric vehicles. The subsidies and other tax benefits are offered, but still, the lack of parts and facilities make their prices higher.
Also Read: Yamaha Nmax scooter in works; to rival Aprilia SR150
Yamaha has also confirmed that it will grow in the premium two-wheeler segment in the coming years. So, we can expect new premium bikes and scooters to make its debut soon.
So, is it possible that Yamaha might bring a premium petrol-powered scooter with its electric version? There are many reports suggesting that Aerox/Nmax 150cc scooter is expected to make a debut in India.
As of now, the launch timeline for the electric scooter is undefined. We do not expect it to be launched in the near future, probably by the next 3 years.
Also Read: Yamaha MT-15 First Ride Review – Is it actually R15 V3 with a naked body?
Yamaha will launch new bikes under the ‘Call of then Blue’ campaign. The first new bike to be launched under it is the MT-15. Check out our first ride review of the bike.
