Yamaha has revealed a new XMax series-parallel hybrid scooter concept overseas, which is powered by both a single-cylinder engine and an electric motor. The company claims that the XMax SHEV concept can run solely on electric power in addition to being powered by the petrol engine.
- Yamaha XMax SHEV has a single-cylinder engine
- Engine supplemented by electric motor
- Company hasn’t confirmed whether it will make it to production
The Yamaha XMax SHEV concept’s engine and gearbox are mounted in the conventional location with the motor mounted just ahead of the engine and the battery mounted under the rider’s feet. Before we get into how all this works, it bears mentioning that all these additional components are sure to add a significant chunk of weight to the scooter. This is evident from the twin front disc brakes seen on the XMax SHEV concept, because it is powered by a single-cylinder engine and every other Yamaha maxi-scooter sold overseas with a single-cylinder engine uses a single front disc brake.
Yamaha has opted for a series parallel hybrid system, just like Kawasaki with its Ninja 7 Hybrid. The XMax hybrid concept can run using the engine just like a conventional bike, with the electric motor to assist it (parallel hybrid), and the engine can also recharge the battery like a range extender (series hybrid).
While the prototype has been testing for quite some time now (no exact specifics given, however) Yamaha has revealed no details about what capacity the engine in this concept is, only that it is a single-cylinder mill. Yamaha has single-cylinder engines with capacities of 125cc and 300cc in its international lineup and we believe it is the latter engine which is in use here. This is because the added weight of the hybrid system would be partially offset by the higher power output of the larger engine. Additionally, with the price premium that this hybrid concept will command over its equivalent pure ICE counterpart is another factor which could mean that the larger 300cc engine is in play here. That being said, Yamaha hasn’t confirmed whether this concept is just a design study or if it will make it into series production.