Yamaha to launch the EC-05 in Taiwan on August 1, 2019

MANILA: The two-wheeler automobile space has been quite excited ever since Yamaha previewed its electric scooter, the EC-05. Around a fortnight later, the Japanese auto giant has finally revealed the official launch date of the electric scooter. So, it will be August 1, 2019, when the EC-05, at last, goes on the stage and roars on the Taiwanese roads soon after.

Produced in conjunction with Gogoro, the Yamaha EC-05 features swappable batteries, a system similar to what we have seen on Gogoro scooters in the past. Furthermore, the scooter also receives its platform from Gogoro. The designing of the scooter, however, has been done by Yamaha. Starting August 2019, the EC-05 will be sold via Yamaha Motor Taiwan, a local subsidiary of Yamaha.

Not only the Yamaha EC-05 will be produced by Gogoro but it will also use the 1,200+ GoStation battery-swapping stations across Taiwan. With no mechanical details available for now, what is known is that the Yamaha EC-05 is based on the Gogoro 2 Series e-Scooters and boasts a top speed of 100 kmph along with a range of 100 kmph on a single full range. The drive type is expected to be a chain drive.

The swappable battery system seems to be the most efficient and time-saving one as the rider can simply leave the drained battery at the station and put a fully charged unit in the scooter. The process is fairly easy should consume even less time compared to the refilling of a fuel tank. After the Passol in 2002, EC-02 in 2005, EC-03 in 2010, and the E-Vino in 2014, the EC-05 is the fifth electric two-wheeler by Yamaha.

The Yamaha EC-05 is also the part of Yamaha’s Long-Term Vision and Medium-Term Management Plan that aims at bringing the CO2 emissions down to 50% by 2050 in comparison to the levels of 2010.