Honda Cub: 87 million motorcyclists can’t be wrong

The Honda Super Cub is a small lightweight motorcycle that has sold in huge numbers since its launch in 1958. It surpassed 87 million last year making it the most produced motor vehicle in history. 

Honda has now unveiled the EV-Cub Concept a the next chapter in this incredible journey. The secret of the Cub’s success is its simplicity; a lightweight, economical, easy-to-use and and largely maintenance free way to get about. The battery-powered EV-Cub Concept retains these same qualities. The battery is placed down low, which means a low centre of gravity and good low speed manoeuvrability.

It is perhaps because small capacity motorcycles regularly travel 100 miles on one gallon of petrol that so few are designed to maximise their aerodynamic efficiency, but a Dutch cycle designer has done just that and achieved an impressive 214 mpg.

Allert Jacobs fitted a Honda Innova 125 cc scooter – a derivative of the Honda Cub but best known in Britain as the pizza delivery scooter of choice) with an aerodynamic outer shell.

In its standard form the Honda delivers an already-impressive 110 mpg, but the addition of the bodywork boosted the figure to 214 mpg. Mr Jacobs hopes to eventually achieve a figure of over 230 mpg.

There is a history of fitting aerodynamic shells like these to recumbent bicycles to boost performance – the results are no less impressive in this case.

CO2 emissions from petrol scooters

The original Honda Super Cub has estimated CO₂ emissions of 61g/km, which is less than a Nisan Leaf electric car when charged using fossil fuel-derived electricity in Britain (According to the NEF calculator, generating 24kWh of electricity in Britain creates approximately 13 kg of CO₂ emissions which equates to around 80  g per km.

It’s the reason most owners would opt for an energy provider that uses renewable sources of power, but it’s also the reason that many drivers of conventional cars should consider a small commuter motorcycle.

Calculate the CO₂ emissions of your car, motorcycle or scooter here

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On top of this, we offset the carbon emissions of the recovery trucks that go out to assist you, reducing the impact your breakdown has on our environment. Every breakdown policy you buy helps fund the work of our charity, the ETA Trust, which campaigns for a safer, cleaner transport future.