Japanese motorcycle giant Yamaha will release the E01 and E02 electric scooters for the European and Asian markets in 2022. The Yamaha E01 and E02 electric scooter concepts will both be headed for production having undergone the needed transformation from the concepts they were when first introduced.
Yamaha first unveiled the E01 and E02
electric scooter concepts at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, as the first concrete
steps to electric and clean energy options. The company had been slow in
embracing electric scooter development and had partnered with established
e-scooter maker Gogoro.
There had been virtually no details on
Yamaha’s progress in the development of the E01 and E02 since 2019 when they
were announced. This has fueled speculation thà t the project might have hit a
rough patch or possibly abandoned. But the R&D unit of Yamaha was working
hard to transform the concept into a commercial product. The goal was to
sustain Yamaha’s track record as a leading light in the two-wheeler market.
The E01 electric scooter is a 125cc class
scooter with specs that will match the regulatory requirements in Europe and
Asia for its class. It will likely have a power output of 15 hp or less
and may reach top speeds of 90km/h. The Yamaha E02 e-scooter is smaller than
the E01 and is expected to fall into the 50cc class. It offers seats for two
persons and has a single-sided rear swingarm. The Yamaha E02 could have
removable batteries which are meant to enlarge its range. The smaller battery
packs are lighter and have a lower capacity.
Yamaha’s past partnerships with Gogoro
might mean that Gogoro will be providing its batteries in the models. No
definitive date in 2022 has been penciled yet for the unveiling of the two
Yamaha e-scooters.