Honda Activa EV | Honda activa E vs. Honda Activa QC1?

Honda has entered the Indian EV segment with its EV series, namely Honda Activa e, and Honda QC1. We are going to compare both scooters in areas like price, features, range, availability.

Honda Activa EV has been launched in India, and the Bookings are open as of January 2025, with deliveries commencing in February 2025, according to Honda.

Key Features:

• The front Disc brakes.

• All LED lamps, DRL in front, tail lights.

• 110/80, 12-inch alloy wheels,

• Telescoping suspension.

• Side pockets.

• Reverse mode.

• Control panel joystick.

• Weight 118 kg. 171 mm ground clearance.

• The vehicle comes with 3 years or 50,000 Km of warranty period, whichever comes first.

• 3 free service for 1st year.

• Keyless system.

There are three options to choose from in the EVs available, one is called QC1, another is E, that comes with 2 options.

The lower variant Activa QC1 is priced at ₹ 90,000 . The higher E version comes with two options, one with price tag of ₹ 1,17,000 and the smart functions version of at ₹ 1,51,000 .

The revolutionary thing the Honda is trying to achieve with its EV line up, is “recharge stations”, where a rider could swap batteries for his/her Honda Activa E.

If this goes through, it will be a game changer for Indian EV scooter market, as well as for Honda EV initiative in India.

The main challenge Honda face implementing the battery swap stations is the network of such stations all across India.

The US electric vehicle giant Tesla is so successful in the US is due to its comprehensive charging stations network in the country.

The concept for Honda EV is simple, user can simply remove the dried detachable battery, and replace it with the charged battery from such station.

It will remove the charging wait time, increase the range of the Active EV, and would be super convenient for the day-to-day riders.

Honda Activa QC1:

The Honda Activa QC1 is a slightly cheaper and affordable version of Active EV.

The scooter has minor downsides as compared to the expensive version E, namely, single front LED lamp, smaller 5 inch Display, basic footpads, and a major drawback is no swappable battery system.

The cheaper version not having the swappable batteries option in the Active EV line up is a bummer. As the mass consumer would be left without the benefits of such battery swap ecosystem, which Honda intends to develop in India for its EV bikes.

The QC1 takes 6 hours to fully charge, while 0 to 80% charge would be completed by around 4 to 4.5 hours.

Another mentionable drawback of the QC1 is its single battery, which limits its power, range, top speed.

The QC1 houses a single 1.5 kWh (fixed) battery, that delivers 2.41bhp, and 77Nm of torque, with only 50Kmh of top speed and 50 km of max range on a full charge.

The benefits of the cheaper Active QC1:

The EV market in India is evolving and does not have a charging stations infrastructure, this makes QC1 a better option to try out the new segment.

A bigger space under the seats is available due to a single battery housing setup. Cheaper price with Activa brand value is another pro of the QC1.

The QC1 is a much better option for buyers who are looking for EV experience, and simpler plug to charge option.

Honda Activa E vs. Honda Activa QC1?

• E uses a swingarm-mounted motor.

• QC1: Features a hub motor (mounted directly inside the rear wheel).

• E has swappable battery tech.

• QC1 relies on plug to charge, fixed battery option.

• E is available in only few cities in India, until next announcement.

• QC1 is available across India.

• QC1 is cheaper as compared to Activa E.

• Honda Activa E has more modern and premium features as compared to QC1.

Honda Activa E

The Activa E has two batteries, each 1.5 kWh (Kilo Watt), which are swappable, at a charging station.

The combined batteries deliver 8 bhp of power with 22Nm torque, and has claimed range of 102 Km, with a full charge. Top speed of 80kmh.

There are three driving modes, standard, economical and a sports mode, for powerful performance.

766 mm seat height, providing comfortable seating.

Seats are wide enough, making the scooter more comfortable.

Connected Tech is powering the 7-inch TFT display screen which displays speedometer alongside other important motorcycle information such as fuel gauge, indicator, battery percentage etc.

The scooter has a keyless system, meaning you don't need to insert a key in the bike in order to turn it on, but just need to have it inside one of the pocket.

The battery pack weight is 10.5 kilos, each.

The downside of the Activa E is that it does not have a home charging option, meaning the batteries would require to be swapped at one of the Honda battery station.

There are only around 80 units of such battery stations, that too only in Bengaluru.

There is no charger included in the vehicle, which does not have a warranty as well.

Standard Plan: Priced at ₹1,999 per month, this plan is tailored for riders with moderate daily usage, offering sufficient energy for approximately 40 km of daily travel.

Advanced Plan: At ₹3,599 per month, this plan caters to riders with higher energy demands, accommodating up to 100 km of daily travel.

The swappable batteries system is only available in Indian cities like, Bengaluru, and later will be available in Mumbai and Delhi.

Honda India says it will introduce the stations in Delhi and Mumbai soon.

The phase two would target more cities.

There is a card based system, which scans rider information and his/her subscription details to complete and authorise the battery swap.

Rider could get fresh battery just in 1 minute.

The Activa E does not come with batteries inside, and would require to purchase separately.

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