Green ride: Yamaha's motorcycle strategy shifts towards ethanol, not EVs
NEW DELHI : Even as India accelerates towards a greener future with an ambitious target for two-wheeler electrification by 2030, Yamaha Motor India is steering towards a more conservative course. Anticipating a 20% adoption rate for electric scooters by the end of the decade, the local arm of Japan's Yamaha Motor Co.
is betting on a holistic approach to cleaner emissions technologies, led by ethanol-based flex fuels, said Eishin Chihana, chairman, Yamaha Motor India. Considering the current market share of electric scooters at 5-6%, "we expect EVs to grow to 20% of the scooter market in India by 2030", he said.
While last week, former Niti Aayog chief and India's G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant called for full electrification of the e-2-wheeler and 3-wheeler segment by 2030, Chihana advocated for technologies like ethanol-blended fuels to achieve the country's emission targets. Yamaha, a major player in India's premium motorcycle and scooter markets, also emphasized the significant obstacles hindering quicker adoption rates.
According to the company, despite the potential of high gasoline prices driving faster adoption of electric scooters, consumer behaviour remains largely unaffected due to usage patterns and infrastructure challenges. Yamaha plans to introduce two EV models by 2030, catering to the growing but limited demand for electric scooters.
Besides, it seeks to enhance its premium motorcycle strategy, as well as distribution network through Blue Square outlets over the next six years, Chihana said in an interview. The company's primary strategy to meet its emissions targets revolves around flex fuel (E85) options for motorcycles, acknowledging the global shift towards sustainable fuels while avoiding the
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