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Honda–NRI Electric Moped POC Meeting (Europe)

Meeting Context & Participants

This video records a multi-party virtual meeting between:
• NRI (Nomura Research Institute) – a Japanese management-consulting arm that has just reopened a European branch and is leading cross-border projects (Japan ⇄ US, EU, India). The London-based Head of Consulting for Europe moderates.
• Honda – provider of electric two-wheelers, swappable batteries (MPT/MDT) and automated swap stations.
• A prospective Italian shared-mobility operator (names mentioned: Joe, Andrea, Mari) that currently runs moped fleets in Milan and is looking for a new premium electric model and battery-swap partner.
Goal: Explain Honda’s product & partnership concept, review lessons from an ongoing Swedish proof-of-concept (POC) with GoSimo, and gauge technical/commercial fit for an Italian POC.

Company Profiles & Current Footprints

• NRI: Traditional advisor to Japanese government & large enterprises; now expanding EU footprint and supporting Honda’s European electrification projects.
• Honda: Market leader in ICE scooters in EU and Asia; developing an ecosystem of electric mopeds (EN1 e & CUV e), multi-purpose batteries (MPT/MDT) and compact automated swap stations.
• Italian Operator: Already active in Milan with three moped brands (Chinese, Spanish, German/Polish); owns its vehicles, swap stations, software platform and mechanical staff. Sees opportunity to rent or long-term-lease higher-quality Hondas to high-usage riders rather than running free-floating sharing.

Honda Electric Mobility Portfolio

  1. Batteries:
    • MPT & MDT modules – core of Honda’s Mobile Power Pack ecosystem; hot-swappable in seconds.

  2. Vehicles (pictures shown during meeting):
    • EN1 e – 50 cc equivalent (L1E category). One battery, approx. 50\,\text{km} real-world range per pack.
    • CUV e – 125 cc equivalent (L3E category). More powerful, uses two packs, higher price.

  3. Swap Station:
    • Compact cabinet holding multiple packs; miners/riders insert depleted pack and pull out a charged one, maximising utilisation and eliminating charge downtime.

Reference POC in Sweden (GoSimo)

• Scope: 30 electric mopeds + 3 swap stations installed in Malmö.
• Commercial structure: Honda sells or leases vehicles, batteries and stations; GoSimo operates fleet & customer app.
• Status: Live, commercially open; illustrates scalability and Honda’s willingness to customise.

Proposed Business Model & Role Split for Italy

Honda
– Supplies hardware (mopeds, batteries, swap cabinets).
– Provides after-sales maintenance & faster repairs.
Operator
– Scouts station locations, secures permits, runs customer acquisition, performs daily fleet operations, battery swapping, and houses charging hub.
– Integrates vehicle CAN-bus data into its proprietary IoT/back-end platform.

Pricing Guidance (Public List; subject to bulk discounts)

• EN1 e (50 cc): €2{,}000{-}€3{,}000 per unit including one battery.
• CUV e (125 cc): €3{,}300{-}€4{,}000 per unit (two batteries).
• Swap-cabinet pricing not disclosed in call; to be shared later.
Participants emphasised that business customers expect “big, big discount” off consumer MSRP and need transparent spare-parts cost & lead-times.

Technical Requirements & Customisation Wish-List

  1. CAN-Bus Access – full protocol documentation so the operator’s IoT box can read telemetry, diagnose, lock/unlock, etc.

  2. Electronic Helmet Trunk – Italian law mandates helmets for L1E; sharing/rental services require a smart top-box that communicates with the vehicle ECU.

  3. API/Data Layer – real-time SOC (state-of-charge), GPS, error codes.

  4. Spare-Parts Pipeline – local Italian warehouse or rapid EU logistics.

  5. Compliance – homologation for Italy (lights, licence-plate size, etc.).
    Participants requested the exact spec used in Sweden (model variant, IoT supplier, top-box brand) to evaluate fit and retrofit complexity.

Operational & Strategic Considerations Discussed

• Time-to-market is critical; the Italian team fears “losing a lot of time” if details remain vague.
• They prefer starting in Milan where they have staff, chargers and depot; Rome or Berlin could follow.
• Ownership vs. Leasing – operator currently buys assets outright; financial model with Honda still open.
• Battery-station CAPEX is significant; partner is open to co-investment or third-party energy players.
• Potential to white-label the operator’s rental platform for Honda dealers in other cities once technical integration is proven.

Ethical, Practical & Market Implications Highlighted

• Decarbonisation – Swappable batteries reduce charge downtime, making electric two-wheelers viable for commuters and delivery riders, hastening urban emission cuts.
• Standardisation – CAN-bus openness and modular batteries may set precedent for interoperable light-EV ecosystems in Europe.
• Local Economy – Italian spare-parts stocking and technician training build regional jobs and ensure uptime.
• Data Privacy – Sharing real-time vehicle data raises GDPR compliance requirements.

Outstanding Questions & Action Items

  1. Honda to supply:
    • Full technical spec sheets (EN1 e, CUV e, swap cabinet).
    • CAN-bus protocol & API documentation.
    • List of available accessories (smart trunk, IoT boxes) and approved vendors.
    • Spare-parts catalogue with prices and lead-times.
    • Detailed Swedish POC case study (deployment photos, cost breakdown, performance KPIs).

  2. Italian Operator to compile:
    • Customisation checklist (hardware, software, branding).
    • Volume forecast for pilot and scale-up.
    • Expected price targets per scooter, battery, and station.
    • Regulatory dossier on Italian helmet-trunk and L1E/L3E obligations.

  3. NRI to coordinate a follow-up meeting (possibly with GoSimo in Malmö) once documents exchanged.

  4. Explore potential visit to Honda’s European HQ or Milan dealer to inspect hardware in person.

Next Steps & Timeline (Tentative)

  1. Week 0-1 – Exchange documentation & price expectations via email.

  2. Week 2 – Technical workshop with Honda engineers on CAN-bus & IoT.

  3. Week 3-4 – Virtual call with GoSimo to discuss Swedish lessons.

  4. Month 2 – Decide go/no-go for Milan feasibility test; sign MOU.

  5. Month 3-4 – Ship 5–10 pilot units + mini swap cabinet; integrate with platform.

  6. Month 6 – Evaluate KPI (utilisation, downtime, customer NPS) and negotiate commercial POC expansion.

Summary

The call served as a high-level introduction: Honda seeks a second European partner to replicate its Swedish battery-swap POC; the Italian operator is interested but needs firm pricing, full technical openness (CAN-bus, smart trunk) and reliable local after-sales before committing. All parties agreed to exchange detailed documents, compile a checklist of needs, and convene a deeper technical & commercial meeting within weeks.