New Honda EM1 e: is firm's first electric two-wheeler for Europe

Honda has unveiled its first electric two-wheeler that will launch in Europe, the urban focused EM1 e: electric moped.

The new machine has been unveiled at the EICMA motorbike show in Milan, Italy, and is due to be released in the middle of next year. It will be the first of at least 10 electric motorcycles the Japanese firm will launch globally by the end of 2025.

Honda has previously announced that it will launch three types of electric two-wheelers: Electric Bikes (EB), Electric Mopeds (EM) and Electric Vehicles (EV). As the name basically gives away the EM1 e: is the first of the mopeds, which means it will have a top speed of between 15.5 and 30mph. The ‘e:’ suffix brings the naming in line with Honda’s electric cars, although we’ve not quite sure what’s up with the random colon.

Honda has yet to reveal many technical details for the EM1 e:, but it has confirmed that it will use its Honda Mobile Power Pack e: swappable battery system. That is a removable 1.3kWh battery that will give a claimed range of more than 25 miles. Notably, the battery is compatible with battery swap stations that Honda is developing, suggesting that technology could eventually come to Europe.

The firm says that the EM1 e: is designed for urban transport and aimed “squarely at a young demographic”. It says that the compact styling has been developed so that it has a unique identity within Honda’s current motorbike range, adding that the machine “syncs neatly with modern expectations for urban mobility”. 

 Pricing and release details, including whether it will be offered in the UK, have yet to be confirmed.