Honda to Begin Sales of Rechargeable Electric-Powered Blade Snow Thrower "Yukios e (SB800e)" in Japan - Realizing outstanding quietness unique to an electric-powered snow thrower for early-morning and night-time snow removal -
October 14, 2014, Japan
TOKYO, Japan, October 14, 2014 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it will begin sales of a rechargeable electric-powered blade snow thrower, Yukios e (SB800e), in Japan in mid-November 2014 through Honda power products dealers (including authorized Honda agricultural power products dealers, home centers and motorcycle dealers.) The easy-to-operate Yukios e is designed for quiet and speedy snow removal for household use or for small-sized parking lots or other facilities.
Yukios e was developed based on an existing Yukios (SB800) model, a gasoline-powered blade snow thrower that removes snow by pushing and piling it up to the side. Outstanding quietness and ease-of-use, which only an electric-power model can provide, were pursued through the adoption of a rechargeable battery and DC brushless motor for the power unit. Yukios e is easily recharged through a household electric outlet and yet features the class-topping*1 snow removal capability among electric-powered snow throwers in the market, making it suitable for novice users and for residential area snow removal during the early-morning and nighttime hours.
- *1Among all walk-behind electric-powered blade snow throwers available in the market as of October 2014 (based on Honda internal research)
Yukios e (SB800e) electric-powered blade snow thrower
- Sales plans (annually in Japan) 1,000 units
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price including tax (in Japan) 289,440 yen
(excluding consumption tax: 268,000 yen) - Key features of Yukios e (SB800e)
- Pursuit of the customer’s piece-of-mind and ease-of-use
- Easy and smooth operation for starting-up: The user only needs to push the key in and turn the power switch from the “off” position to “on.”
- The Yukios e can be operated only with the drive lever and speed-change lever, therefore even a novice user can use it fully without confusion.
- Yukios e will start moving forward when the user applies a gentle squeeze to the drive lever, and it stops when the user lets go of the lever. Detailed speed adjustments are possible by changing the angles of the grip on the drive lever.
- The blade can be lifted up and put down lightly and easily with the up-and-down operation of handles. The vertical angle of the blade also can be adjusted easily.
- Recharging of the battery is also easy. The user connects an easy-to-handle/easy-to-carry dedicated battery with a large-sized handgrip to the recharger and plugs into a household electric outlet (100V). For each recharging, Yukios e will gain duration of approximately one hour. The recharging takes approximately 6 to 12 hours (time required for recharging varies depending on the temperature of the environment where recharging is done).
- The user can check the remaining battery level on a three-lamp LED indicator light located near his/her hand.
- Quietness unique to electric-powered snow thrower
- Yukios e realizes outstanding quietness unique to an electric-power model, making it easier for the user who needs to remove snow in early-morning or nighttime hours or in a residential area.
- Outstanding snow removal capability
- When it is fully charged, Yukios e is capable of removing snow form an area approximately 250m2 (equivalent to a parking area for approximately 16 cars)*2.
- A chamfered scraper attached at the bottom of the blade reduces the friction between the blade and the ground surface, enabling smooth snow removal.
- Side plates, adopted for both sides of the blade, increase an ability to cut into the snow and reduces the amount of snow left behind.
- *2Calculated based on the assumption that a fully-charged Yukios e was used for removal of 20cm-high fresh snow on a paved surface (based on Honda internal research, the measurement value will vary depending on the quality of snow and other conditions). For parking space calculation, a per-car space of 2.5m X 6m was used.
- Design concept
- Adopting a white head cover designed to pursue a smart form with a low center of gravity, the exterior design of Yukios e expresses a sense of ease and friendliness as an easy-to-operate snow thrower.
- Key specifications of Yukios e (SB800e)
| Type | Electric-powered blade snow thrower | |
| Product name | Yukios e (SB800e) | |
| Model name/type (category) | SB800e/J | |
| Size (mm) | Length | 1,320 |
| Width | 820 | |
| Height | 975 | |
| Body weight (total weight) (kg) | 69 | |
| Clearing width (mm) | 800 | |
| Blade height (mm) | 330 | |
| Maximum speed (km/h) | Forward approximately 4 Backward: approximately 0 (variable-speed) |
|
| Motor | Type | DC brushless motor X 1 |
| Maximum output | 24V860W | |
| Battery | Type (5-hour Ah) | Valve-regulated lead-acid battery (24V-20Ah) |
| Weight (battery pack weight) (kg) | 16 | |