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Patent applications show that Honda is working on an electric motorcycle, but not on a futuristic look. On the contrary, the retro look of the CB125R is to be adopted for the electric motorcycle.
Since several documents have surfaced that show different aspects of the same design, one can assume that Honda really wants to implement the patent. The components and layout of the CB125R point to a smaller, but also affordable electric motorcycle.
Honda seems to have realized that many motorcyclists find it difficult to switch to electric motorcycles. In order to make a change as easy as possible, they deliberately avoid a futuristic look, which might put off one or the other. They decided to use the proven optics of the CB125R, which is trimmed for retro.
Honda has already done a similar thing with the PCX electric scooter, which is almost identical to the petrol-driven version.
The new design is kept simple. The standard chassis, suspension and familiar styling is combined with the oil-cooled three-phase electric motor. The rear wheel is driven by chain via a simple reduction gear.
The engine and reduction gearbox have been slimmed down to fit into the CB125R frame. It has been placed in the place where the engine base and gearbox normally sit on a petrol motorcycle. The electric control unit is at the place of the cylinder and head, because it can be cooled quite well there. The oil cooler for the engine is mounted in front of it, where normally the water cooler is located.
The batteries can be found under the tank dummy and under the driver’s seat. It looks as if they are of different sizes, which would mean that they are not the “Honda Mobile Power Pack” batteries, which are part of Honda’s planned ecosystem and will be used in lawn mowers up to ATVs.
Since many of the CB125R components already available are used, the bike should be relatively inexpensive to produce. The performance should probably also be based on a 125cc machine, that means around 15 hp. However, electric motorcycles are also often equipped with two performance levels. 15 hp would therefore most likely be the continuous output, which could be increased in the short term. For an overtaking a power of 30 hp would be quite realistic.
One may be curious what will become of the patent.
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