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Yamaha announces new electric motorcycles, scooters and more in huge EV push

Yamaha is headed to the Tokyo Motor Show 2019 later this month and is set to show off a wide range of new electric vehicles. From electric motorcycles and scooters to e-bikes and even a few oddities, Yamaha is going to have quite the EV spread on display.

And instead of making everyone wait on the edge of their seats for a few more weeks, Yamaha has unveiled some of its new goods early. You’ll find the most interesting Yamaha EVs below.

Yamaha E01 electric scooter

The Yamaha E01 is a 125cc class electric scooter with fast charging capabilities.

As a somewhat larger scooter than most entry-level electric scooters, the E01 is designed to prioritize comfort and utility while traveling at faster speeds and over longer distances.

According to a statement sent to Electrek:

“Combining Yamaha’s scooter and EV technologies, [the E01] brings practicality for everyday use as well as a quality ride exceeding that of conventional scooters. In addition to excellent comfort, it features a design that expressively highlights a new generation of sporty styling.”

Yamaha E02 electric city scooter

The Yamaha E02 is a 50cc class scooter, meaning it will likely hit slower speeds of around 45-50 km/h (28-31 mph). That would put it in a similar class as Gogoro’s new Viva electric scooter, another e-scooter designed specifically for commuting around city centers and other densely populated areas where high speed is less important compared to agility and convenience. In fact, Yamaha is actually working with Gogoro to build electric scooters based around Gogoro’s swappable batteries.

The E02 will feature a lightweight design and a removable battery – two key features that are critical for urban commuter e-scooters.

Yamaha YPJ-YZ electric mountain bike

This full-suspension electric mountain bike features a split downtube to hide the battery inside the frame. Its long-travel suspension suggests the bike is designed for more intense trails including jumps, while its steeper rake angle implies that it might even earn some downhill credibility as well.

According to Yamaha:

“This e-bike was designed with the looks of a race machine riding out on the track. Its mass-centralized chassis is suggestive of the engineering approach with our YZ Series of competition motocross models (locating chassis weight near the center for increased handling performance). The YPJ-YZ provides stable cornering performance and light handling even on rough terrain and the simple, lightweight frame was designed to show its relationship with YZ Series models.”

I’ve previously tested a Yamaha electric gravel bike on off-road trails and found the motor to be super smooth yet torquey and powerful. So if the YPJ-YZ is anything like the Yamaha Wabash that I tried, and I’m guessing it’s going to be even better, then this will definitely be another e-bike to keep on your off-road wish list.

Yamaha TY-E electric trials bike

Trials riding is the sport of using a bicycle or motorcycle to get over, around or through large obstacles such as boulders, logs, and tables, all without touching one’s feet to the ground. The TY-E is Yamaha’s take on an electric trials bike, a sport that EVs are particularly well suited for. Without needing to clutch and shift, riders can focus more on their balance and maneuvers. And with two handlebar-mounted brakes (as opposed to a rear foot brake found on gas bikes), riders have better braking control as well.

Unlike some of the other models here that are brand new, the TY-E has actually gotten a bit of real-world testing in already. Professional rider Kenichi Kuroyama finished 2nd place in the FIM Trial-E cup in both 2018 and 2019 while riding a TY-E.

Yamaha Tritown

This odd-looking trike is a three-wheeled leaner and is ridden in the standing position, similar to an electric kick scooter. The Tritown is designed to be intuitive to ride, with the rider simply leaning to control the scooter with his or her own balance.

According to Yamaha:

“The light, compact body and intuitive controls make it usable for a wide range of people. It is currently being field-tested at leisure facilities, parks and the like in Japan to ascertain its feasibility as a product, ability to attract customers, its competitiveness in the micromobility field, and more.”

Yamaha YNF-01

The Yamaha YNF-01 is described as a “low-speed mobility concept”. It was designed to handle off-road adventures and is styled after something of a futuristic ATV.

It uses in-wheel electric motors for propulsion and has four-wheel independent suspension to help it tackle varying and technical terrain.

The YNF-01 may look strange, but it actually won the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for 2019.

Yamaha JWX-1 PLUS+

Yamaha isn’t just sticking to conventional recreational EVs. The company is also innovating in the electric wheelchair space as well. In fact, the goal of the JWX-1 PLUS+ is to allow users of mechanical wheelchairs to convert their device into an electric wheelchair.

The unit replaces the wheels on standard wheelchairs, which adds electric power to the chair using Yamaha’s proprietary JW Smart Core control system. That allows the user to control the acceleration, speed and other parameters of the ride.

Yamaha will also have a few more vehicles on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, including some gas vehicles as well. But it is impressive to see that a majority of the new vehicles and concepts that Yamaha is showing off fall in the EV sphere, as opposed to Yamaha’s past comfort zone of gas engines.

What do you think of Yamaha’s showing? Let us know which is your favorite in the comments below!

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Author

Avatar for Micah Toll Micah Toll

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto.

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and the $3,299 Priority Current. But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

You can send Micah tips at Micah@electrek.co, or find him on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.