Yamaha’s first made-in-India electric scooter has been spotted during testing in India. This scooter is based on the River Indie platform built by Bengaluru-based startup company River, but many important changes have been made to it, which reflects Yamaha’s special identity. Let’s know all the important things related to the design, features, performance and launch of this scooter.
Design and Features
Yamaha has built this scooter on the basis of River Indie but has made many visual changes that make it completely different.
1. Change in headlight design
While River Indie has two LED headlights stacked horizontally, this new scooter from Yamaha has two LED headlights stacked vertically. This gives it a more premium and modern look.
2. Body panels and tail light
The mid-section and underpinnings of the scooter (such as 14-inch wheels, telescopic front suspension and twin rear suspension) are similar to the River Indie, but Yamaha has made neat changes to the body panels.
Thin and slim design panels at the rear, new tail light and grabrail make it even more stylish.
3. Display and storage
This scooter will get a 6-inch color LCD display. Apart from this, it also has a 12-liter glove box and 43-liter underseat storage, which makes it great for city needs.
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Performance and technical specifications
This electric scooter is likely to offer the same performance as the River Indie.
- Motor: 6.7 kW mid-mounted electric motor
- Battery: 4 kWh lithium-ion battery
- Top speed: Approximately 90 kmph
- Claimed range: Can run up to 161 km on a single charge
However, Yamaha can do some fine-tuning in it so that its ride quality and response feel a little different.
Market positioning and strategy
Yamaha partnered with a Bengaluru-based startup company named River in February 2024. The purpose of this partnership is to create an electric scooter that is specifically designed keeping in mind the needs of the Indian market.
Bengaluru is considered to be the EV hub of India. Supply chain, technical infrastructure and expertise are already present here. Yamaha has plants in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, so it would have been difficult for the company to manufacture e-scooters on its own. This is the reason why Yamaha has made a strategy to launch its scooter in the market quickly using the existing platform of River Indie.
This move allowed Yamaha to reduce R&D (research and development) expenditure and bring a strong product to market quickly.
Launch timeline and expected price
This scooter is likely to be launched at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2027 (formerly Auto Expo). Its expected price could be around ₹ 1.6 lakh (ex-showroom), making it slightly more expensive than the River Indie (₹ 1.44 lakh).
Who will be the competition?
This scooter can compete with the following brands in the Indian electric scooter market:
- Ola S1 Pro
- Ather 450X
- TVS iQube
- Bajaj Chetak
Yamaha’s specialty: Light and strong two-wheelers
Yamaha has always been known for its light and agile two-wheelers. So it is expected that this new e-scooter will also be light and easy to ride. This means that the scooter will weigh less, which can improve both range and handling.
Conclusion: The beginning of Yamaha’s EV journey in India
This new electric scooter from Yamaha is the first step in the company’s EV journey in India. Even though the company has come a little later than Honda and Suzuki, its strategy is clear and solid—to introduce a scooter that is a perfect fit for Indian conditions.
The combination of Yamaha’s trusted brand value, River’s local understanding and the needs of the Indian market can make this scooter a success.
Now it remains to be seen how much hold this electric scooter from Yamaha is able to gain in the market after launch.