– Realizing Carbon Neutrality with a Major Concentrate on Electrification –
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TOKYO, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Honda goals to appreciate carbon neutrality for all merchandise and company actions Honda is concerned in by 2050. Right now, Honda held a press briefing concerning its motorbike enterprise initiatives, offered by Kohei Takeuchi (Director, Govt Vice President and Consultant Govt Officer) and Yoshishige Nomura (Managing Officer).
A abstract of the briefing follows:
1. Method towards carbon neutrality of bike merchandise
To accommodate a wide range of makes use of and wishes of consumers world wide, Honda provides a variety of bike merchandise, from small commuter fashions to massive enjoyable fashions, that are used globally in each rising and superior nations. In rising nations, particularly, there may be excessive demand for bikes, primarily commuter fashions, as a lifeline of individuals of their on a regular basis life; nevertheless, popularization of electrical fashions faces challenges akin to heavier car weight and better costs. Additionally, demand for electrical fashions relies upon largely on authorities incentives, rules and availability of charging infrastructure in every respective market.
Contemplating these circumstances, Honda will speed up the electrification of bikes as the first focus of environmental methods for motorbike enterprise, whereas additionally persevering with to advance ICE, aiming to attain carbon neutrality for all of its motorbike merchandise in the course of the 2040s. Furthermore, Honda will proceed to steer the {industry} on the forefront of its environmental initiatives.
＜Continued Initiatives to Advance ICE＞
In an effort to understand carbon neutrality whereas accommodating the big selection of buyer wants and utilization environments distinctive to bikes, Honda continues its initiatives to cut back CO2 emissions from ICE fashions, whereas additionally growing fashions suitable with carbon impartial fuels akin to gasoline-ethanol blends. To be extra particular, along with Brazil the place flex-fuel (E100)*1 motorbike fashions are already out there, Honda plans to introduce flex-fuel fashions in India, as nicely, one of many main motorbike markets. The plan is to first introduce flex-fuel (E20) *1 fashions starting in 2023, and flex-fuel (E100) fashions in 2025.
*1 Gasoline-ethanol mix gasoline. Numerous mix charges can be found, from 100% gasoline to 100% ethanol. E100 is 100% ethanol, whereas E20 is 20% ethanol.
2. Electrification Initiatives
＜Introducing electrical motorbike fashions to satisfy wide-ranging buyer wants＞
Anticipating market enlargement, Honda will introduce electrical bikes that accommodate a variety of buyer wants. Commuter fashions and enjoyable fashions mixed, Honda will introduce greater than 10 new electrical motorbike fashions by 2025, with an goal to succeed in annual electrical motorbike gross sales of 1 million models inside the subsequent 5 years, and three.5 million models (roughly 15% of complete gross sales) as of 2030.
Particulars of product launch plans observe:
(1) Commuter EVs
As companies have gotten extra environmentally acutely aware, demand for business-use electrical motorbike fashions has been on the rise lately. To satisfy such demand, Honda has been providing the Honda e: Enterprise Bike collection fashions and accelerating the worldwide launch of business-use electrical bikes. Along with offering a Honda e: Enterprise Bike collection mannequin to Japan Put up and Vietnam Put up Company*2 for mail supply, Honda is presently conducting joint trials with Thailand Put up Firm Restricted*3, and planning to start manufacturing and gross sales of the Benly e: in Thailand earlier than the top of this month. These Honda e: Enterprise Bike collection fashions are geared up with Honda Cellular Energy Pack (MPP) swappable batteries, that are well-suited to enterprise use such because the supply of small packages and resolve problems with vary and charging time, that are key challenges that have to be addressed to appreciate widespread use of electrical bikes.
For private use, Honda plans to introduce two commuter EV fashions between 2024 and 2025 in Asia, Europe and Japan. Envisioning the long run market setting, makes use of and technological developments, Honda is exploring a variety of future personal-use fashions together with ones geared up with an influence supply moreover swappable batteries.
(2) Commuter EMs*4 / EBs*5
Presently, EMs and EBs account for greater than 90% of industry-wide world electrical motorbike unit gross sales (roughly 50 million models). In China, the world’s largest electrical motorbike market, EMs / EBs are broadly adopted as a handy type of on a regular basis mobility, and Honda has been providing such merchandise by leveraging its native provider infrastructure and improvement / manufacturing operations. With the expectation that demand for EMs / EBs might be increasing globally, Honda plans to introduce a complete of 5 compact and reasonably priced EM and EB fashions between now and 2024 in Asia, Europe and Japan, along with China.
(3) FUN EVs
Along with commuter EVs, Honda is actively growing electrified fashions within the “FUN” class. Based mostly on its FUN EV platform presently underneath improvement, Honda plans to introduce a complete of three large-size FUN EV fashions in Japan, the U.S and Europe between 2024 and 2025. Honda may even introduce Youngsters Enjoyable EV mannequin, designed to go on the enjoyment of using to the following era.
*2 Vietnamese postal service
*3 Thailand postal service
*4 Electrical Moped class. Most pace: 25km/h – 50km/h
*5 Electrical Bicycle class, not together with electric-assisted bicycles. Most pace: 25km/h or decrease.
＜Excessive-efficiency “Monozukuri” that permits enlargement of the electrical mannequin lineup and gross sales＞
Based mostly on its aggressive “Monozukuri” (artwork of creating issues) know-how, amassed via the event and software of platforms for ICE-powered fashions, Honda will develop and apply electrical motorbike platforms that mix the three core elements for electrical automobiles – the battery, PCU and motor– with the motorbike physique. By fulfilling buyer wants with extremely environment friendly Monozukuri, Honda will proceed to supply the enjoyment of mobility with affordably-priced electrical motorbike fashions.
Concerning the battery, a core part of electrical automobiles, Honda goals to equip its electrical motorbike fashions with an all-solid-state battery Honda is presently growing by making lively use of its personal assets.
3. Smoother and Smarter Use of Electrical Bikes
＜Initiatives to boost charging infrastructure and standardize batteries＞
Enhancement of charging infrastructure and standardization of battery specs are very important for the widespread adoption of electrical bikes. As a part of the enhancement of charging infrastructure, Honda is working towards popularization of battery sharing.
(1) Popularization of battery sharing
- Honda has established a three way partnership in Indonesia, one of many main motorbike markets, to function a battery sharing service using MPPs and MPP-powered bikes. The JV is presently working a battery sharing service in Bali.
- In India, Honda is planning to start its battery sharing service for electrical tricycle taxis (so-called “rickshaws”) by the top of this yr. Honda can also be planning to increase its initiatives to popularize battery sharing to different Asian nations.
- In Japan, in April of this yr, ENEOS Holdings, Inc. and the 4 main Japanese motorbike producers*6 collectively included Gachaco, Inc., which is able to present a sharing service of standardized swappable batteries for electrical bikes and develop infrastructure for this service. The corporate plans to start its motorbike battery sharing service this fall.
(2) Standardization of batteries
- In Japan, 4 main Japanese motorbike producers have agreed on frequent specs for swappable batteries based mostly on the JASO TP21003*7 guideline.
- Honda is working towards the standardization of swappable batteries whereas taking part in a battery consortium in Europe*8 and dealing with a associate firm in India.
*6 Honda, Kawasaki Motors, Ltd., Suzuki Motor Company and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
*7 The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. Group (JASO) technical paper TP21003, the “Guideline For Swappable Batteries Of Electrical Two Wheel Autos”
*8 Swappable Batteries Bike Consortium (SBMC) established for the aim of reaching widespread adoption of electrical bikes and different small-sized electrical mobility merchandise.
＜Strengthening of the areas of software program applied sciences＞
To extend the added worth of its electrical bikes, Honda is aiming to remodel its enterprise from a deal with non-recurring {hardware} (product) gross sales enterprise to a recurring enterprise mannequin combining {hardware} and software program.
Within the space of software program improvement, Honda is working with its software program subsidiary, Drivemode*9, to boost new worth creation for its electrical motorbike merchandise within the linked realm. Beginning with the commuter EV mannequin scheduled to go on sale in 2024, Honda will provide person expertise (UX) options that repeatedly enrich the standard of using via connectivity, akin to providing optimum route choices that consider remaining vary, charging spot notification, secure using teaching and after-sales service assist.
Trying forward, Honda will work towards the institution of a linked platform the place larger worth might be generated not solely by connecting its bikes, however by linking a variety of Honda merchandise and realizing connectivity past their product domains.
*9 A developer of software program that transforms UX for mobility. Drivemode builds smarter, safer, linked driving know-how for everybody on the street.
SOURCE Honda
