On top of Honda’s triumphs, we’ve just had news that Yammie’s TY-E 2.0 electric trials motorbike and NEO swappable battery scooter have also landed a spot on the Red Dot Design podium!
The news isn’t exactly a big surprise – there have been eleven consecutive years before this that saw Yamaha Motor Company locking down on the same honor – but the machines are admittedly impressive.
TY-E 2.0
“Can Be Used Indoors or Outside”
As with every machine, the debut of the TY-E 2.0 had a priority of operative: To prove that electric power can be more fun than ICE bikes.
Best way to do that?
Throw an ungodly amount of low-end torque and acceleration at a light EV and pit it against ICE competitors in the nearest trials.
Nailed it.
NEO’S
“A New Standard of Mobility for the Future”
Yamaha’s been a signature on the Swappable Battery Consortium for a hot minute now, so it makes sense that they’d have their own version of the tech.
The NEO’S features a scooter style that is designed to convert riders to electric power – specifically, to “meet the needs of those in Europe transitioning from cars to motorcycles or scooters due to parking issues and traffic jams.”
Considering the Parliament’s keen desire to make Europe “the first climate-neutral continent” (via the European Commission), we think the choice – and cc-displacement – of the NEO’S fitting.
Which of these EVs would you ride?