Honda has applied for patents for an electric motorcycle and charging system using its recently introduced commuter motorcycle, the Shine, signaling minimum technical specifications for the electric two-wheeler approach by the Japanese manufacturer. The leaked patent images reveal a motor that is compact and it holds two removable lithium-ion batteries in place of a typical engine.
Key Technical Specifications Revealed
Patent papers reveal the simple way that Honda has approached the electrification of the Shine platform. The electric motorcycle gets a compact motor with the single-speed reduction gear transmission which gets directly mounted on the existing engine brackets of the petrol-powered Shine.
Two swappable lithium-ion battery packs are mounted on top of the motor, canted forward to approximate the thrust angle of a typical internal combustion engine’s cylinder. The battery trays bolt to the dedicated points in the bike’s spine frame, and the mounting system also includes electrical contacts that click into place.
Innovative Cooling System Design
One of the interesting engineering details is that the battery packs are spaced apart to create an air channel cooling system. This area pulls double duty, channeling cooling air between the batteries and the ECUs sitting behind them, in the traditional air filter position.
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Platform Strategy and Cost Benefits
Honda intends to keep costs low in a dome for the electric motorcycle so it will use the faring and some of the other parts, like the chassis, from the already available Shine. The Jawa’s shared platform nature means the majority of its cycle parts and frame, and even its overall design, carried over from the IC-engine model.
The Shine is currently on sale with a 123.94cc motor producing 10.74 PS and 11 Nm, the electric model will likely have similar output setting it to offer brisk city performance.
Market Context and Timeline
Honda electric motorcycle: What we know
Honda’s electric motorcycle development comes after the company’s new foray into India’s electric two-wheeler market with the Activa e: scooter and QC1 models. The battery-swapping infrastructure is also being expanded across India in tandem with the company’s growing electric vehicle line.
But the patent indicates that this Shine-based electric motorcycle will have fixed batteries rather than the swappable one as Honda’s scooter plan. General device usage patterns and costs for the entry-level market support such an approach.
Production Timeline Remains Unclear
Although Honda has obtained the required patents, it has not published any production schedules or arrival date for the electric version of its Shine motorcycle. Industry insiders describe potential availability timescales as perhaps several years out, with some suggesting 2028 as an arrival timeframe.
The electric motorcycle space in India is developing at a fast pace and Honda is ready to take on the likes of TVS, Bajaj and newer entrants in the low-cost electric segment.