All-new Yamaha E01 scooter is an electric NMax 125 alternative

Yamaha has launched its second all-new electric scooter in as many weeks with the unveiling of the production-ready Yamaha E01 in Japan ahead of its imminent domestic sale.

First previewed back in 2019 at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Yamaha E01 bows just a week after the manufacturer pulled the wraps off the Neo, a 50cc equivalent scooter with swappable battery technology.

However, it is the larger E01 that holds greater significance for Yamaha as essentially the electric powered equivalent of its globally top-selling Yamaha NMax 125.

Similar in both size and power to the NMax - which topped the sales charts in the UK last year - the E01 breaks away from the familiar silhouette of sister models, including the larger TMax, with a design that instead remains faithful to the original concept.

The front-end is dominated by a bluff fascia which doubles as the charging port, while discreet twin spotlights hiding beneath bear a resemblance to that of the Yamaha R1 sportsbike.

The distinctive profile is dominated by the chunky battery back which gives the E01 a low slung appearance and doubles as a spacious seating area.

Power is rated at 8.1kW, which works out around 11hp - just shy of the NMax 125’s 12hp - while range is claimed to be as far as 65 miles from a full charge.

Charging, meanwhile, is something of a party piece for the E01 with three modes available - quick charge, normal charge and portable charge - the latter of which allows owners to remove the battery to take it to a location to charge it up. 

However, it is not a uniform battery to allow for swapping abilities from docks stationed around cities, a novelty pioneered by Taiwanese firm Gogoro, with whom Yamaha collaborated on with the EMF scooter launched in January.

Though the E01 is front and centre of Yamaha’s plans to ‘charge’ into the electric PTW arena, it is notable the scooter was launched to modest fanfare through the manufacturer’s Japanese channels only.

Indeed, while there hasn’t been a peep from Yamaha on this side of the world thus far, the E01 is expected to hit the European market later this year with the current silence suggesting it could undergo a few changes before it arrives.