Yamaha in Japan has dropped a heavy hint that its PES and PED electric concept bikes are nearly ready for production.

Hiroyuki Yanagi (L), President and Representative Director, Yamaha Motor Co and Hayato Shimizu (R), Mayor of Saitama City
The firm has done a deal with Saitama City in Japan to promote electric motorcycles and businesses around them. That’s a pretty clear suggestion that Yamaha will have such bikes on sale soon.
What’s more, the ‘E-KIZUNA Project’ is intended to push certain things that particularly favour Yamaha’s PES and PED electric concepts. Shown first in 2013 as the PES1 and PED1, they reappeared in revised form as PES2 and PED2 in 2015. One key element to their design is a swappable battery pack to address range and slow charging concerns.
Among the schemes covered in the E-KIZUNA Project is a charging network that will also include a ‘safety net utilizing the features of removable batteries.’
In other words, there will be a network of filling stations that carry a stock of fully-charged battery packs. These can simply be swapped with the depleted batteries of compatible bikes to get riders straight back on the road.
The PES and PED concepts were notable for their use of briefcase-style battery packs that could be swapped in seconds. Production versions are expected to be revealed in the near future, sharing the same idea.
If Yamaha can establish a network of shops where these can be swapped it will be a huge boost for the production bikes’ competitiveness. If Yamaha can establish a standard for these packs based on its own design, other firms might have to fall in line with them if they’re to benefit from the scheme.
Yamaha is also planning a fast-charging network in Saitama, as well as a range of incentives to promote electric motorcycles.
At the moment Yamaha has no production models to take advantage of the E-KIZUNA Project. The E-Vino scooter the only electric model in its Japanese range. That seems guaranteed to change. Yamaha is almost certain to launch showroom-ready versions of the PES and PED in the very near future.