Will Yamaha NEO, E01 replace the Mio?

New electric scooters from Yamaha break cover

As fuel prices continue to skyrocket, people are now rethinking and finding ways to save on costs that are associated with their daily mobility. In the Philippines, a lot have already switched from four wheels to two wheels to save on fuel costs.

Some have traded their cars or SUVs for a fuel-efficient underbone or scooter, while some took this opportunity to get back in shape by bicycling their way to and from work. For others, they have chosen to try out the benefits of an electric-powered scooter.

NEO

Yamaha won’t be left behind by the electric mobility bandwagon as they have recently unwrapped two of their newest electric scooter offerings starting off with the NEO.

According to Yamaha, the new NEO electric scooter will provide its rider the performance of a 50cc gasoline-powered scooter, minus the emissions, of course.

Yamaha adds that the new NEO e-scooter can churn up to 5.4 PS of power with a nominal output of 5.1 PS. What’s surprising with the new NEO e-scooter, is that it can unleash a ridiculous amount of torque, thanks to being powered by an electric motor, which can put a lot of bigger gasoline-powered motorcycles to shame with its claimed 135.6 Nm of torque.

For convenience and simplicity, Yamaha engineers had opted for a hub-type brushless electric engine on the rear wheel which saved a lot of space and eliminated the need for a belt final drive.

The NEO also offers its rider two power modes, all-LED lighting, a digital panel, and a removable second battery. The only downside is that currently, the new NEO doesn’t offer much range in between charges, and can go only as far as 37 kilometers. The charging time claimed by Yamaha is up to eight hours from 0% to full charge.

E01

Another e-scooter that Yamaha recently took off the wraps is the E01. Unlike the NEO, however, the E01 e-scooter is not a production scooter, but rather a demonstration unit that is available only at certain world markets, including Japan, that customers can lease from Yamaha beginning Q3 of this year.

The E01 has a claimed 13 Ps power output and can go up to 104-kilometers in one charge. Charging options are quick, normal, and portable. Under quick charging, Yamaha claims that the E01 can be ready from 0% to 90% battery charge in just 1 hour – perfect if you’ll be riding the E01 for your office commute.

In normal charging, 0% to fully charged can take up to five hours, while the portable charging pack (tucked under the seat) takes fourteen hours from 0% to fully charged.

The E01 also doesn’t enjoy a battery-swapping capability as it was developed before the battery-swapping consortium between KTM, Honda, Piaggio, and Yamaha were signed.

PH availability

Locally, Yamaha Philippines has been quiet about the subject of bringing in electric motorcycles or scooters here in the country, especially that the local market, in general,  is still quite skeptical about electric mobility and its benefits.

But then again, with skyrocketing fuel prices, it may be just a matter of time before the Pinoy-favorite Mio will be replaced by either the NEO or E01.