As electric motorbikes rise in popularity, Honda is gearing up to compete with its own swappable battery model. The company is testing the waters in the Indonesian market with its Honda Mobile Power Pack e: (MPPe:), a rival to Gogoro-style swap-and-go batteries.
Honda’s New Power Pack and its Emerging Global Market Strategy
Honda’s MPPe: closely resembles the Gogoro-style battery swap system, even featuring a Gogoro-inspired battery cabinet named the Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: (HPPEe:). This venture marks Honda’s attempt to gain a foothold in the expanding international market for electric batteries and motorbikes.
Honda’s Past Efforts in the Electric Vehicle Space
Honda’s involvement with the electric vehicle segment has been somewhat delayed, with slow progress made in both car and motorcycle divisions. Honda’s interchangeable battery technology has had limited exposure outside Japan until recently. However, in light of a successful partnership cylinder consortium with Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki, Honda is now contemplating promoting its battery as a competitor.
Honda’s Electric Expansion in Indonesia
Indonesia, a nation of over 275 million people where the majority rely on motorcycles for commuting, is an attractive target for Honda. In their efforts to increase the fraction of electric vehicles in the market, Honda plans to launch the Honda EM1 electric scooter in Indonesia, a step up from its previous European efforts.
The EM1 Scooter and Honda’s Battery Subscription Model
Honda offers the option for customers to purchase the EM1 with or without batteries, hinting at a separate subscription service for battery swapping. The model without a battery is priced roughly at $2,600, while the version with batteries stands at approximately $2,930.
Working Mechanism of Honda’s Battery-Swapping Cabinets
Honda’s battery swapping cabinets operate on a similar premise to Gogoro’s. The cabinets, however, do not automatically recognize the user and scooter based on battery information. Instead, members are required to swipe a membership card to activate the station and initiate the battery swap process.
