Honda is not ready for electric vehicle technology and emission norms

Honda says it is not ready for electric vehicle technology and low-emission norms. Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India Pvt. Ltd. says it does not have the technology to make two electric wheels where India is going to switch to vehicles with very low emissions standards by 2020 and all-electric by 2030.

President and CEO of Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India Pvt. Ltd., Minoru Kato, says policy-based encouragement on Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission standards is the heaviest in the world. Minato-based cognlomerates have failed in the electric vehicle business.

"Basically we have no success story on electric vehicles. Honda has been developing electric motors for more than 20 years In Japan, we launched electricity in the past but never existed. We still have time and honest talking," Kato said.

Honda has more than 29% in the Indian market since 2010, but Hero MotoCorp Ltd. is preparing to take over if the two-wheeled market is shifting towards electrical technology. Hero MotoCorp has invested in Ather Energy is a startup headquartered in Bangalore to make two-wheeled electric vehicles.

"We are considering manufacturing units to follow the BS-VI emission norm by 2020 as the biggest concern," Kato said.