JAPAN TODAY

 

TOKYO — Honda Motor Co Ltd will release an electric version of the Super Cub motorcycle in 2018.

Since its release in 1958, the Super Cub has been sold across the globe for more than 50 years. The electric version will be released in Japan first, but Honda also plans to launch it in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

The current model of the Super Cub is equipped with an engine whose displacement is 50cc, 110cc, etc. It has long been popular especially in Japan and ASEAN countries.

Honda exhibited concept models of the “EV Cub” at Tokyo Motor Show in 2013 and 2015. This time, it showcased the latest concept model, “EV-CUB Concept,” at Automotive Engineering Exposition 2016, which last week in Yokohama.

The EV-CUB Concept can be charged from a household outlet and is equipped with a detachable lithium-ion battery. Its dimensions are 1,840 (L) x 670 (W) x 1,015mm (H).

For the release version of the EV Cub, which will debut in 2018, Honda plans to ensure a drive range of at least 50km (approx 31 miles) per charge.

The gasoline-powered models of the Super Cub are representative high-mileage motorbikes. Though many electric motorbikes currently available in the market have a drive range of 20-30km per charge, the company said, “We will inherit the high mileage of the Cub for the electric model.”