Honda is good at making different iterations of the same platform to cater to the local flavor of the market. It does so well with its 110cc—125cc scooter range in Asia, employing the same engines, transmissions, and even mainframes across the ASEAN and Indian markets. Some then make their way to the European markets, with ASEAN being the primary or ‘mother’ market.
Iterating around the common powertrain while maintaining vital differentiation allows Honda to achieve terrific manufacturing scales unmatched by anyone. This also enables Honda to master flawless mass manufacturing and quality better. Differentiation is the key to tailoring products to every geography’s distinct mass-market requirements.
Indonesia and India are two of Honda’s most important markets, and when Honda decided to go electric, both markets received different variations of the same scooter. The Indonesian market gets the CUV e:, which is also the scooter that Europe gets. It has a 4.2 kW direct-drive motor that peaks at 6 kW and is energized with two Honda Mobile Power Packs (MPP) swappable batteries.
The Indian market Activa e: gets the same hardware, and we are reasonably sure that the design of the main frames will be the same as well, though the mounting points would have moved due to different plastic panels.
The styling of the Indian market variant is driven by utility, the primary local market requirement. It is also driven by Honda’s current market positioning – reliable, durable, utility-driven, and non-polarising. As a result, the Activa e: has a toned-down look that is expected to appeal across a wider age range and polarise none. The Activa ICE accounts for about 50 percent of the Indian scooter market.
The ground clearance is significantly higher (171 mm vs 139 mm) because Indian roads require it. It also appears to have a longer saddle.
In comparison, the Indonesian market prefers sporty scooters. The most popular scooter in Indonesia – the Honda Click/Vario – has an edgy look. In that sense, the CUV e: caters to the market’s sweet spot.
