Battery-powered motorcycles have always been touted as the next big thing in conventional motorcycling, and we have seen many promising attempts being destroyed over the years. But long-time players like Zero and now LiveWire (previously a model within the Harley-Davidson range) have shown that the market has room to maneuver, and thus, realistic options for riders who want a battery-powered bike are only increasing.
This year’s EICMA fair in Milan reinforced this idea, and here are the five standout electric machines that caught our attention.
Velocifero Race-X 2024
The world premiere at this year’s EICMA was Velocifero’s Race-X, a scrambler-style model that seems to elevate the young Italian brand to a bigger stage. The company already produces several smaller, all-electric models, but the Race-X is the most powerful ever, with a 7000-watt motor paired with a 6.48 kWh lithium battery, with a charging time of 2.5 hours using a 110 or 240-volt outlet or public AC charging stations. However, the top speed is only 120.7 km/h, although the company also claims that the maximum torque is 219.6 Nm and the range is over 160 kilometers on a single charge. Riders can use four driving modes: P, Eco, Sport, and Sport+, and the frame includes an inverted front fork with a single shock absorber working on an aluminum swingarm. The Race-X is scheduled to go into production in May 2024, with the bikes being built in China.
Royal Enfield Electric Himalayan
A new liquid cooling engine and a battery prototype, all within a few months? Say what you want about Royal Enfield’s seemingly retro product line, but these latest moves from the brand show a clear desire to break out of the retro box it has long occupied. The Himalayan Electric prototype revealed at EICMA is being touted as a “test bench” to explore the possible future of RE powered by a battery, but the fact that it is a racing motorcycle is impressive enough, considering the demanding environments for which the base model was designed. We know that in the Him-E, Enfield used ideas such as a structural box for the battery that also serves as a frame and organic fiber for the fairing, but details such as performance, battery capacity, and range remain hidden. Still, we are impressed that Enfield’s first electric vehicle is so advanced in the development phase, demonstrating a strong commitment to the electric vehicle segment.
Verge TS 2024
From the crazy axle-less rear wheel drive system to the solid locked engine compartment and a plethora of plastic, there is nothing remotely familiar about the Verge TS prototype look, revealed at EICMA (again) this year. The specifications include a 107 hp motor – installed in the rear wheel – which also boasts an astonishing torque of 999.2 Nm. The range is also not bad, with Verge claiming that the standard TS has a range of 249.4 km in mixed use. Verge is already accepting pre-orders for North American buyers and the motorcycles are expected to be shipped in the middle of next year.
Ultraviolet F99 2025
The brand has revealed its new electric superbike F99. Currently, the Indian brand has only one other model, the F77, but is trying to attract attention with this “factory racing concept” that is expected to be launched globally in 2025. For a so-called superbike, the specifications of the F99 are somewhat average, with the machine allegedly producing 120 hp, a top speed of 265.5 km/h, and a 0-100 time of three seconds with the liquid-cooled electric motor. The Energica Ego+ model, for example, surpasses all these numbers, but we will give credit to Ultraviolette for the impressive design of the F99, which includes active aerodynamics with winglets, a hybrid steel frame with an aluminum swingarm, and a carbon fiber body. Although it was presented at EICMA as a project only for circuits, Ultraviolette claims that when the F99 is launched, it will be the fastest two-wheeler to come out of India.
Zero DSR 2024
Zero joined the party of revealing new motorcycles at EICMA with a renewed DSR model that it calls new, instead of updated. This is good, as it deviates quite a bit from the simpler vibe of the previous bike, and the new and attractive fairing adds weight to the “new model” designation. The new style is the clear difference in the DSR 2024, with the new and large upper fairing with a high windshield closely following the design language of the DSR/X. It’s not just more beautiful, but the DSR 2024 also has a stronger and reinforced frame, an improved carbon Gates belt drive, and a larger capacity battery. The new 15.6 kWh unit has a range of 249.4 km in the city and 160 km in city/highway; the top speed is 167.3 km/h with the new Z-Force 75-10 motor, which delivers 80 hp and 195.2 Nm of torque.
