Where Does the Honda Activa e: Stand In India's Booming EV Market?

The Indian electric scooter market is proliferating and Honda was in no mood to miss out on the action. After taking its sweet time to figure out the market dynamics, Honda unveiled two new electric scooters, namely the Activa e: and the QC1.

Honda has introduced the Honda Activa e: and QC1 electric scooters with two different types of battery powertrains. The Activa e: will be launched in different phases, starting with Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru while the QC1 will be launched nationwide. Both scooters will be manufactured at the brand’s Bengaluru-based facility and users can book these e-scooters starting January 1, 2025.

Currently, the Indian e-scooter market has become a stage where every brand wants to electrify your commute. In one corner, we have Ola—the cool kid with the “first-in-segment” tag. While most brands gain fame for their service centers, Ola grabbed the spotlight with its “no-service” attitude. However, it has launched some seriously revolutionary products.

In another corner, there’s Ather—the tech nerd armed with performance and sleek designs. Then we have TVS with the iQube and the retro-styled Bajaj Chetak, bringing a touch of nostalgia.

Adding to this lineup is Hero—the wise old master, quietly powering up with models like the Optima, Atria and Photon.

Amidst this battle of pure electric scooters, Honda has now introduced the Activa e:. Based on the Activa 6G, the ‘Activa’ name is already a household favourite in the petrol scooter market. So, what can we expect from the Activa e:?

Honda Active e: highlights

The Honda Activa e: is the electric alternative to the popular Honda Activa 6G. It runs on two Honda Mobile Power Pack e: swappable batteries, making it easy to charge and go. The Activa e: consists of modern scooter-centric electronics to give it that signature EV vibe, complete with a telescopic front suspension and a mono-shock at the rear.

It also sports an apron-mounted headlamp unit, adding to its sleek look. The scooter is available in two variants: the Standard and the RoadSync Duo. The Standard variant comes with a 5-inch TFT display, while the RoadSync Duo steps it up with a 7-inch colour display.

Honda promises a range of 102 km on a single charge and a top speed of 80 kph, thanks to its 6.0 kW motor. According to Honda, the performance of Activa e: will be comparable to the petrol-powered Activa 110. But of course, the real test will be seeing how it stacks up against other e-scooters in the market.

Where does the Honda Activa e: stand?

Honda will sell this e-scooter at the Honda Big Wing showrooms, which means it is going to be premium and it is expected that Honda will keep the price of the Activa e between INR 1.2 lakhs to INR 1.5 lakhs.

In this case, it will directly compete with the Ola S1 Pro, Bajaj Chetak, Ather Rizta and the TVS iQube. However, the Activa e: will definitely benefit from the nameplate of the original Activa. For consumers, range, top speed and modern features matter a lot in any commuter vehicle.

In this price range, the Ola S1 Pro claims the highest 192 km range on a full charge, followed by the Ather Rizta's 160 km, Bajaj Chetak's 137 km and the TVS iQube's 100 km range. The Honda Activa e: claims a 102 km range on a single charge. The top speed of the Ola S1 Pro is the highest at 120 kph, followed by the Ather Rizta's 80 kph. The Activa e: can also go up to 80 kph.

In terms of numbers, the Ola S1 Pro is way ahead of other scooters in this price category. It is also one of the best-selling electric scooters in the market and the most competitive player for the Honda Activa e:. However, Ola is currently struggling with poor service complaints by consumers.

The Activa e: doesn’t come with a charger to charge the scooter but the brand has provided an option to provide a swappable battery. On the other hand, the Ola S1 Pro supports a 750W external charger that charges the battery from zero to 100 per cent within 6.5 hours.

The kerb weight of the Ola S1 Pro is 118 kg, which is similar to the Activa e:. However, Honda provides better ground clearance at 171 mm in comparison to the 160 mm of the Ola S1 Pro. Both the S1 Pro and the Activa e: come with a 7-inch TFT display, twin telescopic suspension at the front and rear monoshock suspension. Moreover, both scooters come with modern features like smart connectivity and navigation.

If Honda keeps the price of the scooter around INR 1.2 lakhs, we can expect good competition between both companies, assuming that Ola will fix its service centre issues to make existing consumers happy. But if Honda goes wild and keeps the starting price around INR 1.5 lakhs, then the competition will be less for Ola because the S1 Pro offers more features than any other e-scooter in this price range, including the most premium Ather 450X.

As of now, on paper, things are in favour of the S1 Pro. Let's wait for the prices of the electric Activa.