The Honda Super Cub 50, a product line once known as “the world’s greatest motorbike”, will be discontinued in 2025. The reason is that Honda must comply with new strict emissions regulations in the market. Japan.
According to Japanese press, Japanese companies are shifting to producing fully electric motorbikes. Japanese motorbike manufacturers are developing more 50 cc electric motorbike models, in the context of phasing out gasoline motorbikes in stages.
Japanese companies are turning to producing electric motorbikes. NHK screenshot
This new strategy is explained by the Japanese press because Japan’s stricter regulations on carbon emissions will be enforced from 2025.
Honda Motor currently sells 4 electric motorbike models in Japan, according to NHK. Honda said the model launched last summer can run more than 50 km on just one charge.
Honda is expected to provide two new models to other companies from now until the first quarter of 2025 and will also develop many new electric motorbike models.
Suzuki Motor is developing an electric vehicle with moped-style pedals (with 2 pedals for the user). According to Suzuki, this new product can travel a distance of 20 km with just 1 charge; This model will be available on the Japanese market as early as next year.
The current disadvantage of electric motorbikes is that the cost of these vehicles is higher than that of Japanese gasoline motorbikes, and the limited distance traveled after 1 charge.
By 2024, the Japanese domestic market only has three 50cc gasoline motorbike manufacturers: Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. Honda has 10 models, Yamaha has 3 models (only 1 model is produced by Yamaha itself), and Suzuki has 3 models.
Honda and Suzuki have announced plans to stop producing 50cc gasoline motorbikes by 2025. Yamaha has not announced the same, but the possibility of Yamaha producing its own 50cc models in Japan is quite low.