Honda has been working on an electric motorcycle based on the CB 125 R chassis for some time. The first patents, filed last year, show that this electric model has a particularly compact electric motor and transmission, designed to fit directly into an existing chassis, significantly reducing R&D and production costs compared to building an entirely new electric model from scratch.
In automobiles, we find either companies like Tesla manufacturing specific electric models, while traditional car manufacturers tend to market electric models derived from their thermal models, like the Peugeot e-208, the Volkswagen e-Golf, or even the Mini Electric.
With relatively small production figures, much lower R&D budgets and currently relatively lax homologation legislation, an electric motorcycle that could share components with a thermal model in order to keep costs down seems more attractive to major manufacturers.
Over the past two weeks, no less than four new patent applications have been filed by Honda, all seeming to concern the same electric motorcycle project based on the CB 125 R. These 4 patents are similar, but in looking closer, there is a slight change in the layout of the motor, battery and transmission each time. This makes it possible to protect various integrations, without knowing at this time which one will prevail.
The sketches present in these patents highlight the small size of the transmission and the layout of the engine, allowing it to fit into the space left free by the classic 125cc single-cylinder of the CB 125 R. The illusion is carried as far as 'to the tank, whose shape is similar to that of the CB 125 R, which here allows the battery to be hidden, with the opening of the fuel flap, which would be used on the electric version to hide the socket used to recharge it.
The side vents are used to circulate air to cool the battery instead of powering a motor, but the appearance and some parts of the fairing from the thermal model of this motorcycle are reused on the electric model.
As always, we cannot use patent applications as a guarantee that a similar model will reach production, but as the amount of patents filed increases, the chances that the R&D work carried out on Honda's electric motorcycles will increase. their fruits.
