Honda batteries power this powersport platform that Yamaha believes can underpin everything from side-by-sides to cargo bikes
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Yamaha says it will be at the Tokyo Auto Salon as an exhibitor for the first time in 2024, and it will be making a hell of a debut. The automaker is showing off a new EV platform that it claims can underpin a wide variety of powersports vehicles.
To prove it, it’s showing off seven concept vehicles that are all based on the Yamaha Motor Platform Concept. Designed for low speed vehicles, and powered by batteries manufactured by Honda, the platform is defined by its flexibility, accommodating battery packs of varying sizes, and bodies for a collection of purposes. Unfortunately, detailed specifications have not yet been released.
However, the platform will be able to underpin everything from radical concepts to more familiar vehicles, like the Concept 160. A two-seater utility vehicle that is designed to tow small trailers and carry fishing boats, it offers an air suspension, sports seats, and is powered by a lightweight e-axle.
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On the slightly more rugged side of the equation, there are the Concepts 580 and 451. Both designed for off-roading, the former has two seats and is intended for leisure. On the other hand, the Concept 451 is intended for farm work, and can be used to tow heavier objects.
Perhaps the most radical design of the bunch is Yamaha’s Concept 160. A single-seat pod, the company says that it has an “urban flare” and that its styling is supposed to express “a love of nature and a free spirit.” Equipped with a wraparound LED stripe, it “transcends the boundaries of mobility.”
To prove how versatile the platform is, Yamaha will also show the Concept 294, a cargo tricycle. Created in partnership with Sony and Futuba Furniture, its look is inspired by Scandinavian design, and it allows riders to lean and features internet connectivity.
In a similar vein, the Concepts 350 and 628 show how small the Yamaha Motor Platform Concept can be. While the 350 is designed for resorts and can carry a golf bag, the 682’s livery is a clear reference to Yamaha’s success in motorcycle racing. Although it has four wheels, riders are supposed to straddle it like a bike, and its modular structure is intended to allow for easy customization.
All seven concepts will be on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024, which is set to take place from January 12 to 14. In addition to concepts based on the new electric platform, Yamaha will also be exhibiting the ROV, a four-wheel buggy powered by its new hydrogen engine that was exhibited earlier this year.
