“The rumored?” #EM1e #EM1e monitor campaign – what’s it really like? A moped-class vehicle that feels like a shame! An electric scooter with high hopes for the future?

I found Honda’s EM1e monitor campaign on their homepage and impulsively entered…
and I, who am famous for bad luck, actually won.
I felt a bit sad, like I’d wasted my luck on something pointless.

This time it felt a bit unusual.
“A bike shop going to a bike shop to pick up a bike” – such a strange situation occurred.
The shop that helped us this time was our nearby AC Honda. They’re an established shop in this area.

So I’ll write about the overall picture, the good things, and the disappointing things.

(For those who want to sell their bike smartly, there’s Kachiex) (*´Д｀)

“The moped classification is quite a constraint.” High hopes for the future.

Since it’s a moped, there are some somewhat annoying rules like a maximum speed of 30 km/h and two-stage right turns.

The top speed is around 50 km/h (tested on private property).

However, it accelerates smoothly up to about 30 km/h, but acceleration beyond that takes time.
The rule that a moped’s maximum speed of 30 km/h must be maintained on public roads is fundamentally harsh in my opinion.
In this area, even on the two-lane Komazawa-dori, I get tailgated by cars when traffic is flowing.
On the three-lane Kan-Nana or Meguro-dori, you really need to put in effort to ride.

Regardless of the rules being what they are because it’s a moped,
riding this on public roads following the rules honestly means
you’ll definitely be treated as a traffic obstacle.
Wearing a helmet and riding a vehicle classified as a moped feels like a somewhat half-baked usage condition.

It doesn’t climb hills as well as I expected…

Climbing from the middle of a hill. Climbing a steep incline.
This is quite tough. Honestly, the speed drops significantly, so you need to be considerate of vehicles behind you.
In the Meguro ward area where I live, even slight inclines get me tailgated aggressively by light trucks.

I felt that the moped classification is spoiling
the excellent performance of this electric scooter.
If this were in the moped class 2 category, it would be a much better vehicle.

Accelerating smoothly to 40-50 km/h and climbing hills with gusto,
being able to turn right even on three-lane roads or more – that’s the kind of specs that are needed, isn’t it?
This is an electric scooter I have high hopes for in the future.

Though I started with the downsides, the ride quality is excellent.
On flat ground, starting from a standstill is smooth and very seamless with a pleasant feel.
The brake feel and front suspension are solid,
so you can brake with confidence.
Being electric, it’s completely silent. There’s no change even when it’s ready to run, which is a bit worrying sometimes.
The lamp lights up so you can tell, but it takes some getting used to.

No under-seat storage. Seat opens and closes at the foot.

Since you have to consider removing the battery, it’s unavoidable,
but the lack of under-seat storage on a scooter is a bit painful.

I also borrowed pannier cases, but they were annoying so I removed them right away.
Despite the compact body, having pannier cases takes up space and is in the way.
The space under the seat can only hold small items – it has minimal storage capacity.

The helmet doesn’t fit, but since you can’t carry two people on a moped, this setup is better.

I think they could have gone with a dedicated delivery design
like Honda’s BENLY e: used by postal services.

The wheel size is the standard 12 inches front, 10 inches rear.

With the 12-inch front, the handling is solid and stable – it feels good.
The tires are some kind of hard tires I can’t identify.
If this were my own scooter, I’d want to switch to Michelin tires right away.

Battery and charger. They’re quite substantial in size.

The battery is quite large and weighs around 10 kg.
Having to remove it and take it home every time is a bit of a hassle.

Also, it’s surprising that this battery doesn’t work as a portable battery on its own.
If this battery could be used directly as a portable battery,
demand might increase, but since it’s only for the scooter, you have to think twice.

The battery and charger design are good and practical.
Even sitting at home, they have a certain interior appeal with their simplicity.

The fuel efficiency isn’t great.
Probably can’t even do 40 km on a full charge, so it’s honestly a bit tough.
When you open the throttle fully, the remaining charge drops visibly, which is a bit scary.

Handlebar area, switches, and main key, etc.

The main key is the familiar Honda scooter standard style.
I wish the seat could be operated from the main key location.

There are two riding modes: “ECO and STD” and you can’t change them while riding.
Surprisingly, there’s a USB charging port built in from the start. I wish it was TYPE-C…

The meter is a simple modern digital display.

If “READY” is lit, you can ride. It’s completely silent so you really need to be careful.
When “ECON” is lit, it’s eco mode – you can experience THE moped world. *Basically, the speed doesn’t come up.
“SPEED” lights up red when you exceed 30 km/h. It’s probably going to stay lit most of the time, right?

All the lighting is LED.

When the high beam is on, both lights come on simultaneously.
The daytime running light-like lamp evokes a Honda-like futuristic feel.
I personally like it.

All the lamps are bright and give a reassuring finish – very nice.

Final thoughts. High hopes for the future! Electric scooter.

I was somewhat interested in electric scooters and thought “no gas costs would be amazing!”
so I entered on impulse.

Once I actually rode it, the “moped” classification became a constraint – you can’t go fast (can’t go fast), two-stage right turns are required,
there’s no under-seat storage, and the stock model has no side stand.
The fuel efficiency isn’t as good as expected & the range is short.
After riding for a day or two, I honestly thought “that’s enough for me.”

Electric scooters are an emerging field.
If this early model is already this refined, the future potential is very high.

As a vehicle, the electric scooter is very interesting.
If this became a moped class 2 with more speed capability, the impression would change completely.

Plus, if it could also work as a mobile battery for emergencies,
that would be a great selling point for purchase. *I hope future models will have mobile battery functionality.

In its current state, I can’t bring myself to want to buy and ride it.
I rented and rode it a bit, but personally I’d want to return it early.
In this condition, it’s tough to use for commuting or city riding.

It’s a very interesting electric scooter, but I have high hopes for the future! That’s what I think.