Yamaha seems to be trundling along nicely with its electrification initiatives. Spy photos of the much-awaited E01 electric scooter surfaced online, showing a heavily disguised scooter going around in Japan. It's certainly clear that this bike is more than just a prototype given how well put together it looks. Sources suggest that Yamaha has actually set up a test ride for the media in Japan to showcase the new electric scooter.
Although shod in heavy camouflage, it's
still pretty clear to see the Yamaha styling on the E01. In fact, if you squint
your eyes just a little and tilt your head to the left, or maybe the right, you
could see some YZF-R1 design inspiration on the scooter's fascia. Furthermore,
its proportions suggest that it'll be similar in dimensions to that of the
Yamaha NMAX maxi-scooter, a popular commuter scooter across Asia and Europe. As
you move along the sides and back of the scooter, it's clear that the E01 will
eventually be a popular commuter in several markets, thanks to practical features
such as a two-up saddle and integrated grab handles.
Up front, the instrument cluster is
surprisingly lackluster, with a simple monochrome LCD display. It displays the
battery status prominently at the bottom center of the cluster, as well as the
speed in a very retro, calculator-esque fashion. The sides are adorned with
various warning lights consisting of what I think are lights, ABS, and mobile
phone signal—hinting at the bike's Bluetooth smartphone integration. Do note,
however, that this bike is just a test mule, and Yamaha could intentionally be
concealing other information about the scooter leading up to its launch.
As for hardware, the E01 scooter rides on
13-inch wheels on both ends, as well as ABS-equipped disc brakes on both ends.
Keyless entry, as well as various riding modes all come as standard on the
scoot. On the performance side of things, Yamaha has yet to reveal the full
specs. However, several sources suggest that the scooter will have a real-world
range of around 40 to 50 miles on a single charge, meaning that this bike will
be good only for in-city duty. Hopefully, we'll see Yamaha's swappable battery
tech which it's co-developing alongside other manufacturers on this bike.