Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India Pvt Ltd has long dominated the country’s scooter segment, primarily due to the immense success of the Activa, India’s best-selling scooter. Attempting to replicate this success in the electric vehicle (EV) space, Honda launched the Activa e and QC1 electric scooters. However, these models struggled to gain traction, achieving only negligible sales.
It appeared Honda overlooked the specific demands of the Indian market for electric scooters. Consequently, the company is reportedly restrategizing and developing a new electric scooter tailored for Indian consumers. This new model will focus on extensive localization to offer a competitive price point. Let’s delve into the details of this new development.
Recent reports indicate that Honda is aggressively working on a new electric scooter designed specifically for the Indian market. This upcoming model will incorporate heavy localization to ensure an attractive price tag. The primary goal is to address and overcome the shortcomings experienced with the Activa e and QC1. Honda plans to apply the lessons learned from these previous models in the development of this new scooter.
Honda entered the highly competitive Indian electric scooter market with the Activa e and QC1. Despite manufacturing a total of 11,168 units (4,636 Activa e and 6,532 QC1), the company only managed to sell 740 units of the Activa e and 4,461 units of the QC1. This translates to an average of 82 Activa e and 496 QC1 units sold per month, respectively.
Sales commenced in February 2025 but plummeted by October of the same year. In November 2025, it was announced that Honda had discontinued both the Activa e and QC1 in India. Although these models were based on international designs, they were re-engineered to suit the Indian market.
Both the Activa e and QC1 were anticipated to be game-changers, with the Activa e intended to leverage Honda’s battery swapping system. However, the reality fell short of expectations. Honda’s pricing strategy did not resonate with Indian buyers; the Activa e was priced at ₹1.17 lakh and the QC1 at ₹1.52 lakh (both ex-showroom), along with an additional subscription model for swappable batteries.
The Activa e required users to subscribe to Honda’s battery swapping service, as it lacked home charging capabilities. Additionally, it offered only 102 km of range and had no storage space under the seat. In contrast, the QC1 featured a fixed battery that could be charged anywhere and included usable boot space. However, its range was limited to 80 km, and the top speed was capped at 50 km/h.
The forthcoming Honda electric scooter for the Indian market is anticipated to combine the best features of its predecessors into one compelling package. Expected features include:
As Honda continues to refine its strategy, more information about this promising new electric scooter is expected to emerge in the future.