Honda’s e-motorcycle takes home gold at iF Design Awards
Honda announced that its WN7 electric motorcycle won the Gold Award for Product Design at this year’s iF Design Awards, marking the first time a Honda product has taken home top honors at the prestigious design competition.
As the first Honda electric naked model in its “Fun” category, the Honda WN7 was designed to represent part of the OEM’s initiative toward carbon neutrality.
The WN7 adopted a frameless structure, with the battery case functioning as the body frame, contributing to its lightweight body. Moreover, the Honda WN7 features a maximum output of 50 kW, equivalent to a 600cc internal combustion engine, and a maximum torque of 100 Nm, comparable to a 1000cc class ICE motorcycle. Honda says this ensures a powerful yet composed performance both in stop-and-go city riding and cruising on open roads.
“The Honda WN7 was able to win the Gold Award in the Product Design discipline of the world-renowned iF Design Award,” says Toshinobu Minami, managing director and chief operating officer for Honda R&D Design Center. “We believe that this is the result of the jury’s understanding of the new value befitting the era of electrification from the perspective of both functionality and design.”
Key design features
Aiming to “refine functionality and realize the essence of motorcycle design,” the design features seamless and smooth surfacing when it meets the rider, while combining a distinctive and powerful silhouette. The headlight features a horizontal bar design, and the color styling features a black-based body, accented by gold component parts.
iF Gold Statement
The iF Jury said: “The Honda WN7 electric motorcycle masterfully combines classic motorbike DNA with a confident electric identity. It respects Honda’s legacy while embracing clean-energy aesthetics. The synthesis feels authentic, not forced, resulting in a unique design that is more than the sum of its parts.”
