Royal Enfield electric motorcycle confirmed by Eicher MD Siddhartha Lal

On the sidelines of Royal Enfield’s latest launch – the Hunter 350 – Eicher MD Siddhartha Lal took questions about the retro motorcycle giant’s future plans. Some of the questions invariably veered towards Royal Enfield’s electrification plans given the fact that a large part of the two wheeler industry – particularly the scooter segment – is seriously moving towards electric vehicles.

Render courtesy ElectricVehicleWeb

Siddhartha Lal revealed that Royal Enfield is indeed working on electric motorcycles, and that there are a few basic platforms that engineering teams are putting together. However, it’ll be a while before a Royal Enfield electric motorcycle with the performance equivalent to the brand’s 350cc range will hit the market. A Royal Enfield electric motorcycle may be expected in about 3-4 years, which puts 2025-26 as the likely timeline for an electrified Enfield. The electric motorcycle that Royal Enfield will launch is likely to be developed ground up, and won’t be a retro-fit in one of the brand’s existing motorcycles.

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Here are some things the Eicher MD said when talking about Royal Enfield’s electric motorcycle plans,

Launching an electric motorcycle that is the equivalent of a 350 or a 650 would be a very expensive proposition. A ground-up electric Royal Enfield will launch when battery tech improves and costs climb down. The product will be a Royal Enfield and when we do launch it, it will be something good, so we need to take time to build that product which meets all expectations. The idea to build an electric motorcycle that’s not just aimed at convenience and cost saving for the consumer but to build one that’s fun to ride. And the instant torque available on electrics can ensure such a model.

Royal Enfield is basically putting together an electric motorcycle that is based on a brand new platform and one that can do a decent number kilometers per charge. The electric motorcycle won’t really replace its petrol powered models, which have much larger ranges. Instead, it will be something that people who ride relatively short distances for leisure may want to buy. A lot of riders use Royal Enfields for leisurely weekend riding. A high torque electric motor that can offer a thrilling experience is probably what we can expect from the iconic retro motorcycle brand.

Globally, motorcycle brands such as Harley Davidson and Triumph are already working on high performance motorcycles. Harley Davidson has even launched one called the Livewire. The Livewire is a 100 Bhp electric motorcycle that is rated to go 235 kilometers on a single charge in eco mode and about 120 kilometers in sport mode.  The electric Harley, which weighs over 250 kilograms, has thrilling performance numbers – 0-100 Kph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 177 Kmph.

Triumph is working on a high performance street electric bike, similar to its Street Triple range. Called the TE-1, the Triumph electric superbike prototype makes 175 Bhp-109 Nm, and can accelerate to 100 Kph from standstill in less than 4 seconds. The 200 Kg Triumph electric super bike is expected to be introduced in global markets shortly.

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Via TOI