For years, Honda has been building electric scooters and motorcycles here and there. We’ve even had the chance to enjoy a few of those that made it to our market, such as the Muji Honda MS01 and the Sundiro Honda S07.
But despite the Japanese brand’s continued venture into the electrified two-wheeler segment, there’s still one that it’s yet to do until now: build a modern-day Motocompo, electrified or otherwise. We’ve been patiently yet eagerly waiting for one for a while now, so much so that we decided to design our own instead.
Fortunately for many of us, Honda has finally listened and built the modern-day Motocompo we’ve been asking for. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the all-new Honda Motocompacto.
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The Motocompacto looks like a legitimate electric scooter with a very sleek and futuristic design. It can reach speeds of up to 25kph, has a maximum range of about 20km on one full charge, and takes 3.5 hours to charge from zero to full. Judging by those figures, this two-wheeler is still meant to augment the everyday motorist’s standard commute.
As its name suggests, the Motocompacto can be folded for storage. With the handlebar and the seat completely stowed, this electric scooter measures 742mm long, 94mm wide, and 536mm tall. It actually looks like a very thin briefcase when folded down, and it looks like it’ll fit in any car’s trunk.
“Motocompacto is uniquely Honda—a fun, innovative and unexpected facet of our larger electrification strategy,” said American Honda Motor Company vice president of the R&D Business Unit Jane Nakagawa. “Sold in conjunction with our new all-electric SUVs, Motocompacto supports our goal of carbon neutrality by helping customers with end-to-end zero-emissions transport.”
The Motocompo truly was ahead of its time. It was basically a last-mile solution—albeit a gasoline-powered one—in the 1980s. We can assume traffic and public transportation back then weren’t in as bad of a state as they are now, so we reckon bimodal commuting wasn’t really much of a thing yet and the Motocompo wasn’t that big of a hit. But the Motocompacto’s arrival is different.
It comes during a time of heavy traffic and problematic mass transport systems are the norm in countries like ours; a time when people are desperate for alternatives. This time around, Honda’s new foldable electric scooter might just be a huge hit. When can we expect this to land in the Philippines, Honda?
More photos of the Honda Motocompacto:
