Piaggio, KTM, Honda and Yamaha set up swappable batteries consortium

06 September 2021 - 11:09 By Reuters
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Italian scooter maker Piaggio has set up a consortium with Honda Motor Co, KTM AG and Yamaha Motor Co to encourage the use of swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and light electric vehicles.
Italian scooter maker Piaggio has set up a consortium with Honda Motor Co, KTM AG and Yamaha Motor Co to encourage the use of swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and light electric vehicles.
Image: Supplied

Italian scooter maker Piaggio said on Monday it had set up a consortium with Honda Motor Co, KTM AG and Yamaha Motor Co to encourage the use of swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and light electric vehicles.

The Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) aims to broaden the use of light electric vehicles, such as scooters, mopeds and motorcycles, and support a more sustainable management of their batteries, a joint statement said.

It will focus on issues such as battery life, recharging times, infrastructure and costsm and will work on defining international standard technical specifications for swappable batteries.

The companies in the consortium said they welcomed others joining them to extend standards to as many companies as possible.

"Urban mobility is going through a delicate transition moment towards electrification. Thanks to this consortium motorbikes will keep their key role," said Piaggio chief of strategy and product Michele Colaninno.

Honda's Motorcycle Operations chief officer Yoshishige Nomura said the consortium's objectives aimed to make electric motorbikes more convenient for clients as their "use on large scale can substantially contribute to the creation of a more sustainable society".


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now