Husqvarna is in a similar position as most major motorcycle manufacturers, desperately racing to catch up with a new wave of electric motorcycles greeting new riders. Now, the company is showing off its first electric motorcycle model concept known as the Husqvarna E-Pilen and releasing some of its early specs.
Anyone familiar with Husqvarna’s Svartpilen or Vitpilen gas-powered bikes will immediately recognize the styling.
It can be difficult for some manufacturers to transition their trademark style into an electric model, but Husqvarna seems to have pulled it off decently well.
The E-Pilen retains a similar body and panels in the faux-tank area, which houses three removable battery packs.
It isn’t clear what capacity the batteries will carry, but based on their size, it is unlikely that they will be much larger than 1.5 kWh each.
You can see the batteries more clearly in the teaser video below.
Based on those small batteries, the E-Pilen thus is very much designed for urban riders, not long-distance cruisers. This bike will be for getting to work, not touring on a long Sunday afternoon.
Underscoring the E-Pilen’s urban use case is the 100 km (62 miles) range of the bike. With swappable batteries, though, riders could theoretically replace the empty batteries with charged-up spares to continue on their way.
Below the batteries sits the E-Pilen’s chain-driving motor. Rated at 8 kW (10.7 hp), it’s not a gigantic powerhouse. But again, the bike isn’t meant for setting speed records; it’s designed for urban riders looking to zip their way through the city.
There’s no word yet on the top speed of the bike, but somewhere in the 100-120 km/h (62-75 mph) ballpark is probably a reasonable guess based on the size of the motor.
Husqvarna hasn’t provided any info yet on when this concept bike will become a reality, but it sure seems like that’s the direction they are headed.
According to a statement from the company:
“It has always been the aim of Husqvarna Motorcycles to develop new products accessible to the broadest possible spectrum of riders. The E-mobility range will retain and continue the riding pleasure and dynamics refined through the long history and experience of the brand. In support of the E-mobility initiative, Husqvarna Motorcycles will strategically expand its dealer presence in urban and metropolitan areas.
Development of the E-mobility range is already well-advanced and further information will be released in the near future.”
Technically speaking, this won’t be Husqvarna’s first electric motorcycle. That honor belongs to an electric dirt bike designed for children. But it could be the company’s first urban-oriented electric motorcycle.
The urban electric motorcycle market has been heating up over the last few years.
A couple years ago, urban riders seeking an electric steed in the US were pretty much limited to the CSC City Slicker, a 3 kW and 74 km/h (46 mph) electric motorcycle with a distinctly Honda Grom-like form factor.
Now, recent patents from Honda show that the Japanese motorcycle maker may be building its own electric Honda Grom.
US-based electric bike company SONDORS may beat the company to the punch with its own SONDORS Metacycle later this year. That 130 km/h (80 mph) electric motorcycle is likely to be one of the first highway-capable electric commuter bikes in the US to hit the $5,000 price point.
Leading electric scooter company NIU is also getting in on the action. The Beijing-based company just launched its own NIU RQi electric motorcycle for the Chinese market and is expected to have a version for the European market ready later this year or early next year.
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Author: Micah Toll
Source: Electrek
