Alongside the Activa e:, Honda has also revealed a second electric scooter called the QC1. While these two may appear similar at first glance, the QC1 is a rather simple and basic electric scooter compared to the Activa e:.
- Powered by a 1.5kWh battery, claimed 80km range
- Top speed of 50kph, 0-40kph in 9.7s
- Weighs just 89.5kg, has 26-litre underseat storage
Honda QC1 electric scooter range, colours, features
Where the Activa e: is powered by 2 swappable batteries of 1.5kWh each, the Honda QC1 is powered by a sole 1.5kWh fixed battery. It has a claimed 80km IDC range on a single charge. A full charge for this small battery takes a long 6hr50mintues, courtesy of the 330-watt charger supplied with the QC1. That number drops to 4hr30min when you charge it from flat to 80 percent SOC.
The small 1.5kWh battery powers a hub-mounted BLDC motor which makes 1.8kW of peak power and 77Nm of torque. With a 50kph top speed and a 0-40kph time of 9.7 seconds, the Honda QC1’s performance claims are rather modest. But with a kerb weight of just 89.5kg, the QC1 should prove to be an extremely friendly thing for most riders. Underpinnings are quite basic on the QC1, with a 12/10-inch alloy wheel setup and a 130mm/110mm drum brake combination akin to the petrol Activa.
While the QC1 and the Activa e: do share some design elements, a closer look will reveal that the former is quite a utilitarian thing. Overall fit and finish appears to be on the more cost-conscious side of things and that is only reinforced by the basic feature-set.
A 5-inch negative LCD display is on offer here and the QC1 foregoes the Sport riding mode seen on the Activa e:, making do with the other two, Eco and Standard. Another difference, which is actually a leg up over the Activa e:, is the 26 litre underseat storage on the QC1. It also gets a small cubby on the front apron to store your phone, complemented by a USB charger. The QC1 is available in the same five colours as the Activa e:.
Honda QC1: where will it fit into the market?
With the QC1 having one of the smallest battery packs on sale today combined with its basic underpinnings and feature-set, we expect that the QC1 will be positioned in the mass-market scooter segment. However, don’t expect Honda to go down the same aggressive route as Ola did with its new S1 Z, which starts at just Rs 59,999.
Pre-bookings for the Honda QC1 will open on January 1, 2025 with deliveries slated to begin by February of next year. The QC1 will be available on a much wider scale than the Activa e: (which will only be available in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru) and will be sold through existing Honda Red Wing dealers.
