As of now, the HONDA V3 Electric Turbo test ride model is not available in the Philippines. HONDA unveiled this innovative V3 engine with an electric supercharger at EICMA 2024 in Milan, Italy. The engine is currently undergoing development and testing phases, with no official announcements regarding its availability or test rides in the Philippine market. HONDA has not yet provided a timeline for its release in any specific region.
During the Honda Motorcycle Business Briefing on January 28, several key updates were revealed. The electric supercharged V3, a concept motorcycle unveiled last year, has already undergone road testing. According to Honda executives, it boasts impressive power, a lightweight design, and outstanding performance. The briefing also covered topics such as global market share status, future outlook, and management integration with NISSAN, among other noteworthy developments.
- "I rode it in Kumamoto the week before last," said HONDA's top motorcycle executive! How was the ride?
- V3 also has a race in its sights? Entering the WSSP?
- New EV scooter will be out in early 2026 with displacement equivalent to 160 cc?
- Top market share in Europe, but the rise of Chinese manufacturers is a threat
- Opening of a plant dedicated to EV motorcycles in India, aiming for a global scale of 60 million by around 2030.
- No impact on motorcycles expected from business merger with NISSAN
"I rode it in Kumamoto the week before last," said HONDA's top motorcycle executive! How was the ride?
At the HONDA Motorcycle Business Briefing for investors, Minoru Kato, the actual head of motorcycle-related business, and Hiroki Mihara, who oversees electric motorcycles, appeared on stage. They mainly talked about the global sales situation and future prospects, but the biggest topic for the riders was the new information about the V3 engine with electric supercharger.
From left to right: Minoru Kato, Executive Officer, General Manager of Motorcycle and Power Products Division and General Manager of Motorcycle Business Management Department, HONDA Motor Co. Mr. Daiki Mihara, General Manager of Motorcycle and Power Products Electric Business Management Department, Electric Business Development Division, also an executive officer of HONDA Motor Co.
Concept model of a liquid-cooled 75-degree V3 engine with electric supercharger presented at EICMA (Milan Show) in the fall of 2024. The electric supercharger is a world first for a motorcycle and is intended for large motorcycles. The actual model was also exhibited at HONDA's Asaka Research Center.
The completely new V3 engine design uses an electric compressor to control supercharging at will regardless of engine rpm, enabling high response from low rpm. In addition, combined with the slim V3 engine, it offers a high degree of freedom in mounting position for mass centralization, even on motorcycles with limited space. The design also contributes to weight reduction by eliminating the need for an intercooler.
Because it is truly an innovative and unprecedented motorcycle, the V3 Turbo has attracted the attention of many riders. Mr. Kato began by saying of the V3, “This engine is a new challenge in the field of internal combustion engines, and our goal is to make motorcycling even more fun and enjoyable to operate and own. This new engine not only delivers excellent performance, but also high environmental performance in terms of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. We will continue to develop the engine for mass production, so please stay tuned for more information." He stated clearly about the commercialization of the product.
During the Q&A session, Mr. Kato told the audience that he had ridden in the test motorcycle. I'm going to get in trouble if I get too specific," he said, adding, "I rode it in Kumamoto (HONDA plant) the week before last".
He continued, "I can't give you specific displacement or anything, but in any case, the compact engine, compact body, light weight, and electronically controlled supercharging in all areas make it very powerful. This is still a test motorcycle, but we will continue to develop it seriously toward our future goals, so please look forward to it."
A video of the engine being bench tested was shown at the EICMA presentation last fall, and as of January 2025, we can say that the development has been taken a step further. Nevertheless, Mr. Kato's comments convey a sense of enjoyment. Although the timing of the production launch has not been disclosed, it is likely to attract even more attention for its ride quality.
Mr. Kato speaks about the V3 turbo at the briefing, the first production model with a V3 engine since the NS400R 40 years ago. The engine was mounted on a tubular steel truss frame and cantilever swing arm body.
The video presented at EICMA shows the engine bench and a test rider looking on. Did the fact that Mr. Kato was able to test ride mean that further development has progressed from this stage?
V3 also has a race in its sights? Entering the WSSP?
In addition, another source has informed us that the V3 is being developed with a race potential. Details of the race are not clear, but the FIM Supersport World Championship (WSSP) may be a possibility.
The WSSP is a race based on public road bikes with 4-stroke engines of 4-cylinder 600cc or less, 3-cylinder 675cc or less, or 2-cylinder 750cc or less. In recent years, however, the production of these bikes has been discontinued, so TRIUMPH's 765cc Street Triple RS and DUCATI's 955cc Panigale V2 are now competing after performance adjustments such as restrictors.
In addition, YAMAHA has announced that it will enter the race with the 888cc YZF-R9 starting in 2025.
HONDA is participating with the CBR600RR, and the V3 Turbo may take the role of its successor. Although the regulations need to be changed to allow "turbo" entries, the V3 may show its strength even in a non-turbo configuration. Alternatively, the WSS has been flexible in its regulations in order to introduce new types of motorcycles, and we hope that they will be able to accommodate turbos as well, but who knows?
YAMAHA's YZF-R9, race spec on the left and standard for public roads on the right, is powered by an MT-09-based 888cc 3-cylinder engine mounted on a special aluminum frame, producing 111PS. It also weighs in at a lightweight 195 kg. Could it be a rival to the HONDA V3?
New EV scooter will be out in early 2026 with displacement equivalent to 160 cc?
I would like to touch on another topic that came up at the briefing besides the V3 turbo: At EICMA in the fall of 2024, HONDA presented two electric concept models, the EV Fun Concept and the EV Urban Concept. At the briefing, the company reiterated that it will bring these models to market by the end of FY2025.
The output of the EV Urban Concept was unknown, but Mr. Mihara provided new information that it is equivalent to 6 kW (8.2 PS), or 160 cc in terms of displacement. Currently, most EV commuters are 125 cc (moped class 2) or smaller and less than 1 kW, but the EV Urban Concept is likely to have considerable power performance. He also commented, “If possible, we would like to release it at the beginning of next year."
EV Fun Concept is HONDA's first electric sports model. It has performance equivalent to the middle class of internal combustion engines. It is equipped with a fixed battery and has a cruising range of over 100 km. It is also compatible with a quick charger.
The EV Urban Concept is a model that recreates HONDA's concept of urban electric mobility from scratch. The displacement is about 160 cc, which seems to be in the standard motorcycle class.
Top market share in Europe, but the rise of Chinese manufacturers is a threat
We also heard information about sales volume and market share. HONDA will reach record sales in 37 countries and regions in 2024. The company is also on track to surpass 500 million units in cumulative production. Until now, Asia has generated the majority of its profits, but lineup expansion in Europe and the United States, market growth in Brazil, and other factors have improved the profit structure in each region.
Furthermore, in 2024, the company will achieve the No. 1 market share in five major European countries (Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom). According to Mr. Kato, "Ten years ago, we could not make money in Europe, but (in recent years) the Africa Twin and DCT models are doing well." He also says, "We have been able to offer new products at reasonable prices due to the influence of exchange rates, and our cost structure has improved considerably due to improved development and production efficiency as we have developed variations while utilizing a common platform."
In Europe, these models are performing well, contributing to the No. 1 market share. The company also sees this as a result of the introduction of DCT and E-Clutch, which are highly appreciated by users.
Mr. Kato also considers Chinese manufacturers such as CFMOTO and QJMOTOR to be a threat. They have started exporting to Europe and are also seriously engaged in racing activities. Also, because of their reasonable prices, HONDA would like to "increase our cost competitiveness," he said.
China's domestic market for electric bicycles is at the 50 million unit level. Commuters are at the 5 million-unit level, and both are on the decline. The market for fun bikes is 700,000 units, but is expected to grow gradually in the future.
There was no particular topic regarding the U.S. market, but this seems to be due to the fact that there was almost no change.
QJMOTOR is a Chinese general motorcycle manufacturer that offers everything from 1000cc straight-4 supersports to 50cc scooters. The company is also competing in Superbike and Moto2, and will exhibit at the Tokyo MC Show this March as QJMOTOR JAPAN (https://qjmotor.co.jp/).
Opening of a plant dedicated to EV motorcycles in India, aiming for a global scale of 60 million by around 2030.
India is a country that is attracting particular attention around the world. India is the world's largest motorcycle market, with the world's largest population and demand for motorcycles at 20 million units. 1 million EVs have been sold as a result of the government's EV subsidy policy and the introduction of new models. The company expects growth in the future and plans to start operations of a dedicated electric motorcycle plant in Bengaluru, India, in 2028.
The global market is expected to grow to 60 million units, including electric motorcycles, by around 2030, compared to the current total of 50 million units.
In 2028, we will open a plant dedicated to motorcycle EVs in India. A variety of models will be developed by sharing various modules.
No impact on motorcycles expected from business merger with NISSAN
At the end of last year, the consideration of a business merger between HONDA and NISSAN became a major topic of discussion, and the impact on motorcycles is also a matter of concern. When this topic came up during the Q&A session, Mr. Kato said, "We are still in discussions, so nothing has been decided, but basically we don't think it will affect our motorcycle business."
"However, within HONDA, historically we have always promoted synergies between motorcycles and automobiles, and we would like to demonstrate synergies in the future, including in the area of customer data and development. We would like to set up an opportunity to explain this in the future if there is any impact in our discussions".
While the general view was that the business merger with NISSAN would have no impact on motorcycles, it is reassuring to see that HONDA's top motorcycle executives are of the same opinion.
On December 23, 2024, the presidents of HONDA, NISSAN, and Mitsubishi Motors held a press conference. The announcement of the policy to consider management integration has been met with a great response.
