At this point, we’ve pretty much accepted that electric is the way of the future. In both the automotive and motorcycle industries, manufacturers have been devoting a lot of time and resources in developing new hybrid and electric platforms. This is further emphasized by Europe’s plans of phasing out gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
In the motorcycle industry specifically, nearly all manufacturers have already made their electrification initiatives known—all manufacturers except for Suzuki. Suzuki has always been known for sticking to its guns, and keeping its models on the road for as long as possible. The same is true for both its cars and its motorbikes. However, it seems that time has come for the Japanese marque to accept that surviving in the competitive future means that it’s going to have to go electric, too. With that, Suzuki has announced that it’ll introduce its first electric two-wheeler in 2024.
What exactly it’s going to be is still up for debate, as Suzuki hasn’t really gone into details about its upcoming electric portfolio. However, chances are it’ll be a small-capacity electric scooter targeted at the Asian market—because, of course it is. Electric scooters are the lowest hanging fruit in the EV world, as technology surrounding them is pretty much established, with tons of manufacturers already producing and selling 125cc-equivalent electric scooters.
Multiple sources from Asia, specifically in India, reckon that the first Suzuki electric two-wheeler will be an electrified version of the massively popular Suzuki Access—a model whose name clearly illustrates why it’s so popular. Apart from being lightweight and easy to ride, the Access is also incredibly affordable to buy and maintain, traits that the upcoming EV will more than likely inherit.
Looking at things from a broader perspective, Suzuki’s plans of launching EVs don’t end with a small scooter. In total, the marque hopes to have up to eight electric models by 2030. Of course, being the performance enthusiast that I am, I’m certainly hoping an electric version of a GSX-R or GSX-S is in the pipeline. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that Suzuki has no plans of phasing out its gasoline powered motorcycles just yet. In fact, it’s eyeing a 75-25 split between ICE and electric in the years leading up to 2030.
