Honda electric motorcycle to debut in 2010

Honda’s CEO Takeo Fukui has announced that the company will market a fully electric motorcycle in 2010, marking the first of the major manufacturers to commit to a battery-electric production bike.

Don’t expect anything too flash - the bike, about which no details have yet been released, will likely be some sort of commuter machine focusing on pracitcal, cheap short range daily A to B travel. Fukui’s language hints that it may be a super-economy machine appropriate for developing countries:

“History shows that motorcycles remain strong in a difficult market environment and have always supported Honda in difficult times. People showed renewed interest in the value of motorcycles which consume less fuel for commuting purposes as well as for their easy-to-own/easy-to-use efficiency.

“In the newly emerging countries in regions such as Asia and South America where motorcycles are being used for everyday transportation, long-term and steady market growth is expected despite some external factors such as changes in economic conditions.”

Even if the 2010 bike is the equivalent of the Honda Cub, Fukui seems bullish on the technology - and as we all know, the only thing stopping us from having an electric Fireblade is battery capacity and charge time, two areas in which a lot of clever people are spending a lot of time and effort. We’re only a couple of breakthroughs away…

Via MotorcycleNews.

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