Honda Activa e: first ride review: is it a missed opportunity?

What on earth was Honda thinking? That’s the question that has echoed through countless conversations after the Activa e: made its debut in late 2024. The much-anticipated electric scooter deploys a battery-swapping charging system, and the specs are, frankly, nothing home to write about. 102km of claimed range, an 80kmph top whack and an expensive monthly subscription plan. Add to that the Rs 1.52 lakh, ex-showroom, price tag for its higher RoadSync Duo variant, making it one of the most expensive electric scooters on the market. With so many questions swirling in my mind, I was eagerly looking forward to swinging a leg over both, the Activa e: and its younger sibling, the QC 1. The Honda QC 1 is a different story altogether, and you can read its review here, but here’s what the Activa e: is all about. Spoiler alert, it’s not what you’re expecting it to be, at all. There’s a lot to talk about, so here it goes starting with the way it looks.

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Honda Activa e: design and features

I’ll be honest, the Activa e:’s styling didn’t tickle my fancy when I first saw it, but over time, its simple design has grown on me. It gets styling along the lines of the CUV e: scooter, which Honda unveiled at EICMA 2024. The Activa e gets an LED headlight mounted down low, with a DRL strip on the handlebar. It rides on 12-inch wheels and features flush-fit footpegs. At the rear, there's a slim, wrap-around LED taillight and a sleek tail that looks fantastic. Even the cover for the hub-mounted motor looks ace.

The Activa e: manages to pull off a classy, refined look that blends seamlessly into the Activa family. It may not turn heads in traffic, but it definitely looks premium in a parking lot full of other scooters.

The Activa e: is available in two variants—Standard and RoadSync Duo. The only real difference between the two is the larger screen on the RoadSync Duo, which introduces connectivity and a few extra features. It has dual open pockets on the front apron, though not the biggest, they’re perfect for stashing small essentials like a wallet. There's also a USB Type-C port for your mobile charging duties. The Activa e: gets Honda’s Smart Key, which enables keyless go and locate your scooter function.

The standard Activa e: comes with a 5-inch colour screen that has a simple UI and displays all the basic information, like remaining charge, speedo, odometer, and a trip meter. It's a lot better than, say, a basic LCD screen, but is it good on a Rs 1.18 lakh ex-showroom scooter? Umm, not really. A bit of phone connectivity wouldn't have hurt. If connectivity is what you fancy, you'll have to step up to the top-end RoadSync Duo model. Everything else on this model remains the same, apart from a bigger 7-inch screen, which I have to say, is one of the best in the business. It has a very user-friendly UI, is legible in bright daylight, and is super intuitive to operate with the button-plus-joystick switchgear setup on the handlebar. It connects to your phone via the RoadSync Duo App in no time and enables call control, music control, and even real-time data transfer to your phone. The system also comes with an in-built SIM for navigation, and it works flawlessly. The button layout is ergonomically designed so that everything you need is within your thumb’s reach—keeping your hands safely on the grip and brake lever at all times. But would I pay the nearly Rs 35,000 premium over the standard model just for this screen? Probably not, because of the exuberant pricing of the battery subscription plans. More on that in the ending.

As expected from Honda, fit and finish on the Activa e: is fantastic, with consistent panel gaps, good quality plastics and switchgear which doesn’t feel cheap. It is a well made product which feels solid and built to last.

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Honda Activa e: battery, motor and performance

Powering the Activa e: is not one, but a pair of 1.5kWh removable lithium-ion batteries placed in its boot—more on that later—which claim to offer a 102km range, according to Honda's internal testing results. While that may not sound like much, the range indicator on the Activa e: seems to be fairly accurate, allowing you to easily plan your everyday rides. However, this is going to be a secondary issue for Activa e: owners because these batteries are only swappable. This means you won't be able to charge them, as there isn't a charging port or the required hardware to juice them up once depleted. For your swapping needs, you will have to rely on Honda’s e:Swap battery swapping stations, which the company plans to set up across the country in the coming days, months, and years. Currently, 251 of these battery swap stations are operational in Bengaluru alone, with Honda aiming to expand this number to 500 by 2026. The brand has also begun rolling them out in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, with more cities to follow later. As a result, the Activa e:’s sales are currently limited to just three cities due to its unique charging infrastructure.

But that’s not the only issue. While the range seems to be about average, practicality is also compromised. Aside from a small cubby the size of a postcard, there is no space under the boot at all, which defeats one of the primary purposes of buying a scooter, let alone an electric one. Moreover, each battery weighs about 10kg, which might be a bit hefty for the elderly.

I tried swapping the batteries at an e:Swap station, and I must say, it was an effortlessly smooth experience. The whole process took less than a minute, and the sensation of getting a fully charged battery in such a brief span of time is nothing short of exhilarating – it's as if you've just had your tank topped up in an ICE-powered scooter, in no time.

The Activa e:’s twin battery setup powers a hub-mounted PMSM motor, which churns out 6kW and 22Nm of peak torque. It has three ride modes: Eco, Standard, and Sport, and there's quite a noticeable difference between all three. As expected, Eco feels the most laid-back, deploying about 50 per cent of the power up to 50kmph. Standard feels a bit more eager, while Sport feels properly quick due to the sharp throttle response and good oomph down low. In fact, it feels a bit too sharp, and beginners will definitely take some time to get used to it. In Sport mode, the Activa e: reaches 50kmph fairly quickly, after which the progress to its 80kmph top speed starts to slow down. The sweet spot is between 35-60kmph, even in Standard mode, which is good enough for quick overtakes in the city. Throttle response remains linear and well-calibrated, no matter the mode, but what is sorely missed is regeneration. Honda says that the Activa e: does have mild regen, but it isn't noticeable at all. A stronger, configurable regen would not only slightly aid range, but also help in slowing down the scooter much more smoothly, essentially acting as engine braking in an ICE scooter.

It also comes with a reverse function, and it’s undoubtedly one of the simplest and quickest in the business to operate. All you need to do is press the reverse button on the right side, followed by pressing the screen-down function button on the left, and voila—the scooter starts reversing. However, due to the button activation, the experience feels more like flipping an on-off switch, as there’s no throttle control to provide a smoother, more controlled reverse motion.

Honda Activa e: ergonomics, ride and handling

One area where the Activa e: doesn't fail to impress is comfort. The ICE-powered Activa is an icon and has perfected ergonomics across all its variants, and the Activa e: is no different. It offers a very natural riding posture, with a spacious floorboard and mirrors that provide an excellent view of what’s behind. The single-piece seat is comfortable, even for long rides around town. That is backed by superb ride quality, even when you're riding alone. It gets a telescopic fork up front and a three-step adjustable monoshock at the rear. This setup soaks up small bumps and road perfections beautifully and gives the Activa e: a planted ride, even at higher speeds. Even though it is 118kg heavy, the Activa e: feels balanced, and light on its feet. It's flick able and good fun to ride in heavy traffic. For braking duties, the Activa e: comes equipped with a 160mm disc up front and a 130mm drum brake at the rear. The brakes with CBS offer good feel and bite. All-in-all the Activa e: rides and handles really well.

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Honda Activa e: price, subscription plan and verdict

The Activa e: demands Rs 1.17 lakh (ex-showroom) for the standard variant and Rs 1.52 lakh (ex-showroom) for the RoadSync duo model. At that price, it is already one of the more expensive electric scooters available, but your expenses as a buyer don’t end there. Honda won’t sell you the batteries; instead, you will need to pay a monthly subscription to use them and access the swappable stations. There are two plans on offer: a ‘basic’ plan and an ‘advanced’ plan. The former is priced at Rs 1999 plus GST and offers 35kWh of usable energy per month, enough for about 1000km. The latter is priced at Rs 3599 plus GST and offers 87kWh of power, sufficient for about 2600km. The running cost of the Activa e: is therefore roughly on par with that of a traditional ICE-powered scooter, which beats the whole purpose of buying it. Moreover, unlike an ICE scooter, which you can fill and use according to your demand—leading to lower running costs—the Activa e: offers no option to pause its subscription plan if you don't use it for a while. And if you ever exceed the limit of either plan, you will need to pay an additional Rs 35 per kWh.

The Activa e: is flawed in all the areas where you would expect an electric scooter to excel. It offers an average range, has no boot space, and is expensive to run and even buy in the first place. Moreover, while the e:Swap stations are highly practical and effective, they are limited to just three cities, which makes it a hard recommendation for anyone looking for an electric scooter. To answer the 'Is it a missed opportunity?' question: given what it is, the Activa e: will certainly be a tough sell for Honda. But if the brand can speed up the battery swapping station setup across the country, and lower the buying and subscription price by a fair bit, I wouldn’t mind spending my money on an Activa e:.