Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor in Japan today said they are in discussions over a possible business alliance in the Japanese market in the “Class-1 category*,” which include scooters with a 50 cc engine or electric motor. Because of the diversification of the types of short-range transportation, including power-assisted bicycles and mini-vehicles, the market for scooters in Japan has been shrinking in recent years.
“We believe that our collaborative activities, which will start with an OEM alliance, will go beyond the framework of a mere product supply alliance and carve out a future motorcycle culture in Japan,” said Katsuaki Watanabe, Managing Executive Officer and Director, Yamaha Motor.
The companies said that motorcycle manufacturers are facing various challenges, including compliance with safety standards and emissions regulations that will become more stringent in future years, as well as the pursuit of product electrification. This of course is part of a global manufacturing problem in many industries – research & development and regulatory compliance and tooling costs are rapidly rising.
With a target timetable of before the end of 2018, Honda would begin supplying 50 cc scooter models to Yamaha as an OEM that are developed based on the Honda TACT and Giorno 50 cc scooter models that Honda currently produces and sells in Japan. Yamaha will sell these models as the Yamaha JOG and Vino.
Next-Generation 50 cc Scooters
Honda and Yamaha are currently developing, producing and selling 50 cc business scooter models for the Japanese market, specifically the Honda BENLY and Yamaha GEAR. The two companies will look into the feasibility of the joint development and OEM supply from Honda to Yamaha of a next-generation version of these business scooter models.
To make electric motorcycles more popular in the Class-1 category in Japan, the two companies will look at possible collaboration to address various issues relevant to electric motorcycles such as range, charging time, performance and cost.
*Class-1: Defined by the Road Vehicles Act of Japan as “vehicles equipped with two or more wheels and an engine with total displacement of 50 cc or less or an electric motor with rated output of 0.60 kW or less.”
