Yamaha India plans big in 2011!

Yamaha EC-03

Back in 2010, Yamaha was thought to have chalked out plans of a 125 cc scooter for India. Certainly, the success of the Honda Activa didn’t go unnoticed in the Yamaha camp. The Yamaha BW125 could have come to India with a 125 cc engine unlike that of the Activa back then. Price of the scooter was estimated to be upwards of INR 55,000 which was a lot compared to the what Honda was asking for the Activa. This coupled with a lower fuel economy may have halted Yamaha’s plans.

Yamaha BW125 Power Scooter

Now, almost a year later, Yamaha has intentions of revealing an electric scooter for its Indian customers. An electric scooter does seem a wise choice for India, considering the rising fuel prices. The company sells the EC-03 in Europe and East Asia which is powered by a 50V lithium-ion battery and runs on Yamaha Integrated Power Unit and is compact, with a brushless DC motor, control unit, planetary gear transmission and drum brake all integrated into the 12-inch rear wheel.

2011 Yamaha R15

However, two more products from the Japanese company are in line for the country. First, is the new R15 facelift which the company is already testing. The facelifted R15 could be cheaper by as much as INR 10,000 compared to the current price. 2011 will also see Honda’s CBR250R and Bajaj launching the KTM 200. So, Yamaha India might respond to its competitors with the FZ22S.

This is a bike based on the FZ1 sports bike with a 220cc engine. We expect to see three new products from Yamaha India this year of which two could be facelifts of existing Yamaha products. One, an electric scooter which could be the EC-03 that the company sells in other countries. An R15 facelift is in the pipeline and so seems to be a 220 cc FZ which could definitely spice things up in the 200 cc+ segment if launched.