It was recently reported that Yamaha will bring out its first electric scooter in India sometime next year. This electric scooter, codenamed RY01, will reportedly be based on the River Indie but will carry a distinct top hat. A test mule of this Yamaha e-scooter has now been caught testing for the first time.
The spy images have reportedly been clicked in Bengaluru where River is based out of. As per the previous report, Yamaha Motor Company has teamed up with Bengaluru-based EV startup River to co-develop and produce its first global electric scooter. The images show a fully camouflaged scooter but it is clearly evident that the e-scooter is very different from the River Indie.
Yamaha electric scooter: New design
As per the spy pics, the Yamaha version of the electric scooter gets a very distinct design in comparison to the River Indie. It has undergone substantial changes, most notably with a completely new tail-lamp setup positioned higher than that of the River Indie. The side panels have also been thoroughly redesigned, moving away from the previous slab-sided look to reveal more of the rear wheel and suspension components.
At the front, the apron has been extensively reworked—not just in its frontal appearance, but also in the way it flows around the sides. The headlamp is new as well. Although it may resemble a vertically aligned version of the River Indie’s unit at first glance, it appears to be a distinct design with a narrower gap between the twin LED lights.
Despite heavy camouflage on the test model, it seems the Yamaha version will do away with the rectangular luggage mounting bars located on the side bodywork beneath the seat. However, it is clear that this scooter is indeed based on the River Indie since it gets the same swingarm design and 14-inch wheels along with the exact same 6-inch colour LCD instrument panel. It also seems that the Yamaha scooter carries over the side protection crash bars on the sides of the font apron.
Yamaha electric scooter: Expected specs & price
The unnamed Yamaha electric scooter will likely share the same core platform, powertrain, and BMS as the River Indie.However, it will most likely share the same specifications as the Indie which gets a 4 kWh battery promising a range of 161 km on a single charge (IDC certified). This battery sends power to a 6.7 kW (around 9 bhp) PMSM electric motor.
The River Indie is currently priced at Rs 1.40 lakh (ex-showroom).
We expect the Yamaha-branded version of the electric scooter to come at a slightly higher price tag. The initial Autocar India report said that production for this scooter is set to commence from between July and September this year.
