“Electric bikes have an energy
efficiency rate of around 95%
compared to 20% of an ICE”
“Riders are fi nding that local race circuits
are disappearing due to noise restrictions,
cities across Europe have already said they are
banning the internal combustion engine from
roads and riders are genuinely looking for the
next level of performance,” he adds.
Vind explains that the prototypes his
company are working on dominates the race
circuit for a number of reasons: the
instantaneous torque delivered by powerful
electric motors means blistering real-world
performance, while chassis balance isn’t upset
Also, the various plans to ban internal
combustion engines from many European
cities will naturally have an impact on the bike
market and manufacturers are quickly coming
around to this fact.
Just as Formula E aims to raise awareness
of EVs in the automotive sphere, a new MotoE
series that acts as a support race for a handful
of MotoGP fi xtures looks set to glamorize
the idea of electric propulsion on two wheels.
It is time to take electric motorcycles
seriously, even if that means parking the idea
of Harley’s inimitable exhaust note ringing
in your ears.
electrics, as they were simply getting too hot
in real life tests,” he adds.
But designing a bike that performs as well
as its petrol-powered counterparts was just
the beginning, as Sauer reveals that KTM’s
traditional supply chain had to adapt to ship
high-powered lithium-ion batteries, often
housed in dummy frames for safety.
“It has been an amazing journey so far but
we still have a long way to go,” explains Sauer.
“We have only sold around 3,000 Freeride-E
units since launch, the biggest challenge is
getting customers to experience the bike.
“Electric alternatives don’t make a noise,
they’re typically expensive to buy, the
range still needs addressing and I guess
motorcycle customers aren’t as concerned
about emissions,” he adds.
Electrifying performance
Perhaps the most di cult buyer to convert
to all-electric power is the one looking for
all-out performance, a visceral riding
experience and a purchase that tugs on
the heartstrings.
Customers will have to wait until 2020
for the Arc Vector to go on sale and there is
currently very little serving the superbike
community, with American company Zero
arguably coming close to hitting that brief
with its upcoming Zero S/RF model - a 110ps
machine that can hit 200km/h (124mph)
and can run for around 259km (161 miles)
on a single charge.
Similarly, Italian manufacturer Energica has
had some success with its small production run
of Ego sports bikes. But with prices starting at
around US$20,500 (£16,500) for a Zero SR/F
and rocketing to US$31,000 (£25,000) uptake
has been understandably slow.
But an unpalatable business case in the eyes
of the major manufacturers has allowed small
startups to dictate the pace of development.
“We have found there has been demand for
the electric superbike for over 10 years now,”
explains Jesper Vind, CEO of Fenris, a Danish
company that is currently working on the next
generation of all-electric superbikes.
72 // July 2019 // www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
Jesper Vind, CEO, Fenris
upon exiting a corner due
to aggressive gear changes.
“With the gears and clutch
gone, your brain has more
bandwidth to operate the
motorcycle, which in turn give
the rider a better chance to make
the right decisions in a near crash
situation,” explains Vind.
“The lower noise level makes riders less tired
during long distance travel and electric bikes
have an energy e ciency rate of around 95%,
compared to the 20% of an ICE, meaning the
rider doesn’t get hot in the summer months
when stuck in tra c in town,” he adds.
Although reception to electric motorcycles
has been less enthusiastic than experienced
by the wider automotive industry, it could
be given an additional boost by stricter EU 5
emissions regulations that are due by 2020.
7. The Energica Ego
aims to replicate
the performance of
a traditional sport bike
8. The platform design for
Danish company Fenris’
next generation of bikes
9. The Fenris team
believe an all-electric
superbike removes
unnecessary distractions
for riders and reduces
fatigue over long distance
7
8
9
ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES
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