Would the Honda U-GO electric scooter make a good runabout for Philippine roads?
This affordable electric scooter is being sold for the equivalent of P59,000.
Electric scooters have gained ubiquity in our neighboring countries over the past few years. Multiple countries in Europe and Asia have begun heavily incentivizing the use of EVs. While the Philippines has yet to roll out a solid EV-centric plan when it comes to mainstream transportation, we’re beginning to see EVs—both cars and motorcycles—begin hitting the streets in sporadic numbers.
At present, there aren’t any mainstream offerings when it comes to electric two-wheelers. However, chances are if and when electric motorcycles do make their debut here in the Philippines, it’ll be in the form of lightweight, affordable electric scooters. Honda, which is one of the biggest two-wheeler manufacturers in terms of volumes, has recently unveiled an affordable, no-frills electric scooter in the Chinese market. Dubbed the U-GO, the scooter is a basic electric two-wheeler with an affordable price tag of CNY 7,499, which translates to P59,000.
Honda claims that the U-GO electric scooter churns out similar performance as that of a 100cc to 125cc scooter—so something like an electric Honda BeAT. It’s powered by a 1.2kW electric bib motor with a max output of 1.8kW. It gets a top speed of just 53 kilometers per hour. The U-GO is equipped with a removable lithium-ion battery pack which can be swapped out and charged separately. Honda is offering the U-GO with an optional add on which consists of an extra battery—each of which with a capacity of 1.44kW.
It’s clear to see that Honda has targeted the entry-level segment with the U-GO scooter. With its affordable price tag translating to just P59,000, Honda has traded in premium tech in favor of a competitive price point. With electric scooters and motorcycles well and truly the future of personal mobility, would scooters like the Honda U-GO have a strong impact in the local motorcycle industry?
Tagged Under
Related Articles
-
Yamaha, Honda, KTM, and Piaggio form a Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium / News
Big names are banding together to create a more sustainable electric future.
-
Could the CAKE Makka be the ultimate electric commuter for the city? / News
Swedish electric two-wheeler maker CAKE has launched the Makka electric scooter in the global market. This utilitarian scooter boasts a lot of techie features.
-
You will soon be able to test ride Honda’s big bikes at the Honda Safety Driving Center / News
Honda will soon be opening test rides for its big bikes in the Honda Safety Driving Center in Parañaque.
-
Honda launches the new CB200X adventure-tourer / News
Honda has launched the CB200X in India. The entry-level adventure bike shares its underpinnings with the Hornet 2.0.
-
Honda is working on self-steering motorcycle tech / News
Honda has patented a self-steering motorcycle that can detect and move away from crashes automatically.
Latest News
-
Kymco debuts the feature-packed KRV 180i TCS / News
Kymco says it’s the world’s first compact scooter to feature an independent swingarm.
-
Would you pay P800,000 for the CFMOTO 1250 TR-G? / News
CFMOTO has officially unveiled its biggest, most premium motorcycle to date, the 1250 TR-G grand tourer, in the global market for the equivalent of around P800,000.
-
HJC officially unveils and prices the RPHA 1 Helmet / News
Maybe it is time to buy a new helmet?