Honda EM1 e: (2023 - ) review

A plastic-bodied, step-through scooter built over a steel backbone frame is nothing especially ground-breaking, and the EM1 e: sticks to convention in its construction, size, weight and performance. Up front there are regular telescopic forks, paired shocks at the rear and a linked braking system with a disc up front and drum at the rear. The motor is built into the rear wheel and powered by a modular battery pack branded as the Honda Power Pack e:, which slips out of its housing under the seat and can be carried away for charging at home, work or wherever you happen to be going. In some markets you can swap these in a vending machine style charging station.

Even by scooter standards the 740mm seat height is pretty low, so the EM1 e: will be an easy proposition for riders of all sizes. Thankfully it didn’t look completely out of scale and toy-like under your six foot tester, either! The step-through design is easy to get along with and comfortable and, if permitted to do so, you can carry a pillion behind you, neat fold-out foot pegs emerging from the rear bodywork when required.

The young riders the EM1 e: is aimed at will appreciate things like a USB charging port, bag hook and water bottle pocket in the fairing. In the usual style there’s also space under the seat for carrying kit, though unlike most petrol powered scooters this isn’t big enough for stowing your helmet, which is frustrating. You can buy an optional top box if needed, and there is a luggage rack already fitted. But if you don’t have that you need to carry your helmet with you when you park, which will be a pain for urban commuters.

As you’d expect of an AM licence moped performance is modest, though the electric motor does pull smoothly and silently up to the mandated 46km/h (28.5mph) limit and the performance feels well up to the job in city traffic. With no gearbox to worry about the EM1 e: is pure twist and go simplicity, there being the choice of two riding modes with the ‘ECON’ setting increasing the range by a fraction. On the road the lack of noise is a bonus for the rider, though pedestrians won’t hear you coming and you may need to be aware of people stepping off the kerb into your path. If that happens the linked disc front/drum rear arrangement mean a panicked grab of both brake levers will bring you to a safe and smart halt, the front able to operate independently while the rear (on the left, like a bicycle) activates both brakes at the same time.

Small wheels, a low centre of gravity and that low seat all help the EM1 e: feel very confidence inspiring, even for two-wheeled novices. The suspension components are nothing special (if up to the standards you’d expect of a scooter) but you can rattle across bumpy city streets without getting bounced off your seat and you soon feel happy weaving through traffic and leaning it into the corners. And it feels a lot more grown-up and safe than the electrically assisted bicycles used by increasing numbers of city commuters.

As we write this Honda is yet to confirm pricing for the EM1 e:, and this will be a critical comparison with the more conventional petrol-powered 50cc scooters it’s up against. Given these can be bought new for little over £2,000 Honda is going to face a challenge keeping the price that low, though the ability to ‘fuel’ cheaply and conveniently at home without ever having to set foot on a filling station forecourt is a convenience that feels worth paying a bit more for. For context the equivalent Yamaha NEO starts at just under £3,000, so Honda will have to be careful not to pitch the EM1 e: too far beyond that. Meanwhile, in some applications the Mobile Power Pack e: is leased, rented or used on a subscription basis, but whether Honda will follow this model in the UK remains to be seen.

On two wheels and four Honda’s products all have an excellent reputation for quality and reliability, so if the EM1 e: does end up coming in more expensive than rivals like Piaggio or Peugeot you have to hope that badge carries some weight. Mechanical simplicity counts in the Honda’s favour as well, the lack of a combustion engine and all that goes with it meaning a lot less to go wrong.

Unless we hear otherwise we’ll assume the EM1 e: is covered by the same two-year warranty as all of Honda’s other bikes and scooters. See the above point on the mechanical simplicity, this likely meaning servicing costs will be cheaper even if ‘consumables’ like tyres, brakes and the rest will require the same level of upkeep as a combustion engine scooter. Honda meanwhile claims a battery life of 2,500 charging cycles for the power pack, which can then be recycled or repurposed.

As you’d expect, the EM1 e: is pretty basic or, to put it more generously, offers just the kind of no frills, no nonsense transport its buyers expect. There’s a small digital display with a speed readout, a USB charging port to one side of it and a deep pocket to the other where you can stash a drinks bottle. As mentioned, a rear rack is also standard and if you need more carrying capacity a lockable 35-litre top box is a cost option.

In many countries – southern Europe especially – riding a scooter is all part of growing up, and a first step into independent mobility. You can ride one here at 16 but the fact you only need wait another year for a CBT and more powerful 125cc scooters or electric equivalents like the SEAT MO (AKA the Silence SO1) and others of its type does limit appeal. At the other end the EM1 e: will find itself fighting for relevance given the increasing popularity (and convenience) of electrically assisted pedal bikes, be they owned or available on city centre sharing schemes. But as Honda’s first step into electric two-wheelers it represents an important step, and has been built with the brand’s usual attention to detail. And for those who may not wish to dirty their hands with a petrol-powered alternative the clean, green and affordable electric power may be enough to get them interested.