Meet Honda’s new electric scooter, the U-BE

KUALA LUMPUR: After unveiling the U-GO, Honda introduced yet another funky electric scooter in the Chinese market that goes with the name U-BE. The two-wheeler adopted a naming convention from the U-GO, but it measures smaller in size and has less weight, and lower price tag. It will be available in three variants, each having a different battery pack offering a different range.

The base trim comes with a 15Ah lithium-ion battery pack that offers a claimed range of 55 km on a single charge. The mid-spec Honda U-BE, on the other hand, has a 20Ah battery pack with a 70 km range, and the top-spec incorporates a 24Ah battery that provides a decent range of 85 km. The range figures sound enough for everyday commutes.

The powertrain setup has a 350W permanent magnet hub motor that has low power consumption, low noise, and rapid speed increase, as per the automaker.

In terms of design, Honda's new electric scooter looks modern with minimalist styling, just like the U-GO. It is built on a steel underbone frame and has a single-seat, a simply exposed handlebar, and a full-length fender at the rear tyre. The overall fit and finish seem good enough to lend the electric moped a distinctive look. 

According to Honda, the scooter is easy to manoeuvre in the city due to its 740 mm seat height and lightweight. The base version tips the scales at 51 kg, the mid-spec at 53 kg, and the top-end at 54 kg.

When it comes to features, the scooter boasts an all-LED lighting system and a modern LCD instrument cluster that displays all important information to the rider, including the scooter’s speed, battery level, battery voltage, odometer readings as well as tell-tale lights. The mid-spec version also has a USB charging port as standard, while the range-topping also comes with a smart key.

The scooter rides on 10-inch wheels shod with 80-section tubeless tyres. For suspension, there is a telescopic fork at the front and a set of preload-adjustable shock absorbers on the rear. The braking duties are taken care of by a front drum brake in base trim, however, the higher trims have a petal front disc and a drum on the rear.

In China, the Honda U-BE price starts at CNY 3,099 (around RM 2,020) and goes all the way up to CNY 3,750 (RM 2,444). 

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