New Delhi: Yamaha Motor Company has collaborated with the Indian startup River to develop and produce their first global electric scooter, codenamed RY01, as reported by motoring publication Indian coach. The move is a defining moment with Yamaha not just entering the high-volume Indian EV market, but a change in product strategy. It moves away from the low-speed scooters that it has launched in Europe and moves towards the performance-oriented platform that the brand is known for.

According to Indian coach, Yamaha have a lot riding on River’s platform for their India-centric electric entry, taking advantage of the startup’s innovation and execution. The RY01, which is being co-developed by Yamaha’s worldwide engineering teams in Japan, the US, and Europe, along with River in Bengaluru, is scheduled for production between July and September 2025. River has full execution duties, including engineering, R&D, powertrain, battery integration, and manufacturing, while Yamaha maintains project ownership.

Yamaha’s upcoming EV scooter details

The Yamaha electric scooter is going to be based on the same main platform as the River Indie, sharing the powertrain and BMS, with a different design structure, sharing the BMS and powertrain. The Yamaha electric scooter will be built by River in India and then be exported globally.

Along with the River Indie-based EV, Yamaha is also working out an EV platform on a worldwide level and will take contributions from big global markets, including India’s to ensure that it works with customer needs. The Yamaha EV scooter is scheduled for 2026-27.

In the case of RY01, Yamaha’s partnership with River is similar to their collaboration with the Taiwanese giant GoGoro. It is a way of partnering with an existing company to suit a particular market. Yamaha’s scooters in Europe, like Neo’s, are more for the urban customers with modest performance, which they have consciously tried to avoid in India.

Sources of Indian coach have said, “India is a performance-sensitive market, and Yamaha’s legacy here is built on excitement, speed, and sporty appeal.” Yamaha expects that River’s platform and engineering will give them a chance to reassert themselves in the EV market.

The development is crucial, as India’s electric two-wheeler market is booming at present, and the competition has increased as well. The segment in FY25 sold 1.15 million units, achieving its first one-million-unit milestone, representing a 20–21% YoY increase. Due to an increase in fuel prices, better urban uptake, and ongoing policy assistance under the PM e-Drive program, EVs currently make up more than 6% of all two-wheeler sales.

TVS Motor (22 per cent), Bajaj Auto (21 per cent), Ather Energy (14 per cent), and Hero MotoCorp’s Vida (7 per cent) were the next closest to Ola Electric, which was still dominating this segment the most. It is forecasted that this pace will continue into FY26, with 1.3–1.4 million units predicted.

River had launched their Indie e-scooter back in 2023 and has built their reputation for making two-wheelers that have good performance, reliability and design, which works well for Yamaha. The plant in Bengaluru fits with Yamaha’s quality and production standards, though it is aiding accelerated go-to-market timelines. The RY01 is supposed to reach the showroom before the end of this year.

This partnership is underpinned by Yamaha’s 40 million USD Series B investment in River in 2024. However, this is more than a financial stake and rather a strategic collaboration. Yamaha is leveraging River’s innovation, agility, and localisation capabilities to fast-track EV development, especially for markets where cost, performance, and speed-to-market are critical.

In addition to its own engine and battery technology, which are important to RY01’s performance qualifications, River will help with localised cost savings. Yamaha made a deliberate positioning adjustment to remain relevant and competitive in one of the world’s most dynamic two-wheeler marketplaces by choosing to forego its worldwide platforms in favour of this scooter, which was created in India.

This partnership may serve as a model for Yamaha’s future product development in India and worldwide EV rollouts, as River plans to expand its retail presence throughout India and export to 11 countries.