It's high time for Yamaha India to launch into the two-wheeler EV segment. The company, however, has not sat idle, they have a concrete strategy for making an EV and are developing a new EV platform. Yamaha fans will still need to wait for at least a few years before they can drive their EV in India.
People can expect high-performance EVs from the brand, unlike the affordable EVs that have recently launched. The February 2025 investment in the startup, River, which produces EVs signals their imminent electric two-wheeler launch.
Yamaha has invested in World of River Limited, Inc., commonly known as River, a rising EV manufacturer based in Bengaluru in Feb 2025. This startup is backed by Toyota and focuses on designing and selling electric scooters in India. They have a scooter by the name of Indie.
Interestingly, Yamaha has been testing River’s EV platform in Japan. This hints at a possible collaboration or technology-sharing between the two companies to launch a two-wheeler EV soon in India. This investment suggests that Yamaha is evaluating India’s EV landscape before making its next big move.
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Many brands in India are focused on affordable, mass-market EVs but Yamaha wants to stick to its premium and performance-focused image.
Yamaha wants to develop performance EVs that align with its youth-focused brand identity. They think pricing will be a major challenge, as performance EVs are typically more expensive than commuter-focused models.
It will not be easy to achieve the right balance between performance, range, and pricing. Despite this, Yamaha has a clear EV roadmap but is not revealing launch timelines yet. Right now, they are laying the groundwork for a future EV launch in India.
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