While the company is not currently active in the Indian electric scooter market, Yamaha has big plans. The Japanese brand is reportedly developing a new electric scooter codenamed RY01, which will be based on River Indie. This upcoming electric scooter will be a global product and will be launched by the end of this year. Let’s see what’s what.
Yamaha New Electric Scooter
The Indian electric scooter market has had a major tilt in the scale as the segment leader Ola Electric has had a significant downfall. TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto have benefited from these developments and the time seems to be ripe for Japanese brands to enter this segment. Honda with Activa e and QC1 and Suzuki with e-Access. What is Yamaha doing? One might wonder.
As per a recent report, Yamaha has commenced development of its first electric scooter for India. This is a joint operation with Indian electric mobility startup River. Internally, Yamaha’s first electric scooter is codenamed RY01, which could mean River Yamaha 01. This move marks the company’s entry into India’s vastly lucrative electric scooter segment.
Launch is slated to happen by the end of 2025 and production will reportedly begin around July 2025 and September 2025. Yamaha is said to have complete project ownership, while River is entrusted with innovation and execution. This means River will handle engineering, R&D, powertrain, battery and manufacturing for Yamaha.
Alongside this River-derived electric scooter, Yamaha is also said to be working on a new global electric 2W platform that will break covers in 2026 or 2027. River’s plant in Bengaluru is said to be compatible with Yamaha’s quality and production standards. This joint project is likely to prove beneficial for Yamaha in terms of localisation, cost efficiency, engineering and R&D.
What to expect?
This development is a part of the USD 40 million investment Yamaha made in River as part of its Series B fundraising in 2024. As per the report, Yamaha RY01 will be based on the same platform as River Indie and will be powered by the same (or slightly tweaked) powertrain components including battery and motor.
Design is where Yamaha’s electric scooter will have a distinct identity, falling in line with its reputation for sporty and premium offerings. For context, River Indie offers a 4 kWh battery pack that is rated for 161 km of range from a single charge (IDC certified). This battery powers a 6.7 kW (around 9 bhp) PMSM electric motor.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
