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Honda, Yamaha ready electric, hybrid motorbikes

Wheels o' steel

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

1st October 2008 11:27 GMT

'Leccy Tech It's not just cars that are going electric - motorcyles are too. Honda and Yamaha are said to be readying battery powered bikes. Honda's also planning hybrid two-wheelers too.

Honda's initial electric bikes will be 50-125cc models, as will Yamaha's. The latter will come to market first, a variety of Japanese newspapers report, with product out in 2010. Honda is expected to debut its electric bikes the following year.

Both manufacturers are basing their 'leccy motorcylces on lithium-ion batteries. It's early days yet, but the Honda models are claimed to have been designed for a 50km (31 miles) single-charge range, while Yamaha looks set to offer double that.

But since these things are at least two years away, we think it's best to keep an open mind on this one.

Honda's hybrids will apparently appear in the 200-1000cc range and be 50 per cent more fuel-efficient than today's petrol powered bikes in that category.

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