Honda Super Cub Goes Electric

Dennis Chung
by Dennis Chung

The world’s most produced vehicle may be getting a new electric variant, with Honda announcing a new EV-Cub concept. Honda also revealed a gas-powered Super Cub concept, sharing a similar new design. Both concepts will be shown at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show alongside the Neowing hybrid trike and the Light Weight Super Sport concepts.

The two Cub concepts have the classic look of the Super Cub with its underbone chassis, single headlight and you-meet-the-nicest-people-on-a-Honda vibe. Where they differ is mainly in their powertrains.

Super Cub Concept

This isn’t the first time Honda has revealed an electric Cub concept. For the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda revealed another concept called the EV-Cub featuring two hub-mounted electric motors. The new concept has a single motor delivering power to the rear wheel via a single-sided swingarm.

EV-Cub Concept

The heavy battery is housed in the middle of the body between the footpegs for a low center of gravity while allowing easy access. The battery is detachable, making it easy to take out and plug in at home or at the office.

The gas-powered Super Cub concept shares similar styling with its electric sibling but with a traditional swingarm and dual rear shocks. The current Cub’s wire-spoke wheels were replaced by the concepts’ cast ten-spoke wheels. The handlebars form a sleek “Y” shape with the front of the chassis, while the shiny paint is offset by the red leather grips and seats.

The Super Cub concept gets a blue digital screen centered within an analog speedometer while the EV-Cub uses a full color display.

Super Cub Concept
EV-Cub Concept

Overall, the two concepts showcase a modern design without straying too far from a classic, iconic look.

[Source: Honda]

Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung

Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.

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