Reduce your climate footprint without sacrificing driving pleasure. This is the goal of Honda moto, as confirmed to the Sole 24 Ore by Yoshishige Nomura, number one in the motorcycle division of the giant. The Japanese manufacturer will strive to achieve carbon neutrality of all scooter and motorcycle products by 2040, through the acceleration of electrification and will continue to follow its plans for the reduction of CO2 emissions produced by internal combustion engines thanks to an increasing use of synthetic fuels. This will also be possible thanks to the launch of ten or more electric motorcycles worldwide by 2025, aiming to sell 3.5 million units per year (15% of the total) in 2030.
Unlike the car sector where electric seems to be the only widely used solution to reduce emissions, in the world of two-wheelers, internal combustion engines will have a longer life thanks to models powered by neutral fuels such as gasoline and ethanol blends. “The use of neutral fuels makes it possible to drastically reduce emissions – specified Nomura – without having to upset the architecture of the engines or have to intervene with major changes”. In addition to the flex-fuel powered model (E100) introduced in Brazil, Honda plans to launch flex-fuel models (E20) in early 2023 and flex-fuel models in India, one of its main motorcycle markets. (E100) in 2025. Also applications on models already on the market in Europe are not to be excluded in the future.
As for the transition to fully electric two-wheeled mobility, the timing of the transition will be different compared to cars where internal combustion cars will no longer be able to be registered from 2023. So what will be the stages for Honda’s transition? “For now I cannot indicate certain dates. We will certainly follow future emissions regulations. It will be a long transition, with a coexistence of the two engines, thus responding to different needs ”confirmed Nomura.
Among the most anticipated thermal innovations, the CB750 Hornet stands out with its brand new 92 hp twin cylinder. Moving on to the global production of the Japanese manufacturer, the Atessa plant is confirmed as a key site thanks to the high level of quality achieved. If production of a fully electric Honda SH is not currently planned in the Abruzzo plant, the situation could change in the future. In fact, the SH range produced in Italy, in addition to being constantly in the top positions of the market in terms of registrations, represents a real Japanese / Italian excellence.