Yamaha and Suzuki Electric Scooters Face Off in Japan-India Battle

Yamaha's EC-06 and Suzuki's e-Access have arrived in India as two distinct choices for buyers waiting for a Japanese electric scooter, but they bring very different engineering approaches and market realities. The Yamaha EC-06 is built in partnership with an Indian startup and is priced at Rs 1.71 lakh ex-showroom in Bengaluru, while the Suzuki e-Access was developed from scratch and costs Rs 1.92 lakh. Both scooters feature striking, unconventional designs that stand out in traffic. The 132kg Yamaha feels larger with a roomy riding triangle and a 770mm seat height, rolling on larger 14-inch wheels that offer high stability and comfort over broken roads. In contrast, the 122kg Suzuki e-Access feels more like a conventional, compact scooter with a 765mm seat height and a vertical battery placement under the seat that makes it exceptionally light and eager to steer, though its ride is firmer. Performance heavily favors the Yamaha. It packs a 4kWh NMC battery and a motor pushing 6.7kW with 26Nm of torque, hitting zero to sixty in 6.82 seconds and delivering a real-world range of 114km in its middle Standard mode. The Suzuki relies on a smaller 3.072kWh LFP battery with 4.1kW power and 15Nm torque, taking 11.93 seconds to reach sixty and managing just over 88km of range in full performance Ride A mode. Neither scooter includes anti-lock brakes, and both feature a dedicated charger bag, but the Yamaha takes ten hours to charge with its 480W unit while the Suzuki's 600W charger takes six hours. Storage also differs significantly, with the Yamaha offering a 24.5-litre boot and the Suzuki providing an awkward 17-litre boot due to its under-seat battery placement. Judged against each other, the Yamaha wins on price, performance, and range. However, when compared to the broader market of homegrown alternatives from brands like TVS, Ather, Bajaj, Vida, and River, both Japanese offerings carry heavy price premiums that make them fringe players rather than mainstream choices.