Honda, having entered the electric two-wheeler market earlier in the year, has completed six months of production and sales of its two e-scooters, Activa e and QC1. Between February and July 2025, the company manufactured a total of 11,168 units, selling 5,173 of them. Deliveries commenced in March 2025. The Activa e, designed for personal commuting, is an electric scooter featuring a swappable battery system. In contrast, the Honda QC1, designed primarily for gig-workers (delivery partners) and cost-conscious urban users, has a fixed battery. In the initial five months, Honda sold 4,950 units, with 4,252 being QC1 and only 698 Activa e, resulting in an 86% market share for the QC1. The Activa e, while stylish and advanced, faces challenges, with its future hinging on the rapid expansion of Honda’s battery swapping network. It boasts a more stylish appearance compared to the petrol Activa and is available in two variants. The standard model is priced at ₹1,17,428 ex-showroom, while the RoadSync Duo variant costs ₹1,52,028 ex-showroom. It promises a range of 102 km and a top speed of 80 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 60 km/h in 7.3 seconds. A major drawback is that the battery cannot be charged at home and must be swapped at swapping stations, which limits sales. Currently, there are over 80 swapping stations in Bangalore, with expansion underway in Delhi and Mumbai.
The QC1, with its lower price and home-charging convenience, is gradually gaining traction. Starting at ₹90,022 ex-showroom, it is the most affordable Japanese electric scooter in India. It claims a range of 80 km and can accelerate from 0 to 40 km/h in 9.4 seconds, with a top speed of 50 km/h. This electric scooter is currently available in cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, and Chandigarh.
