Kawasaki is set to launch its first all-electric motorcycles later this year, with two lower-powered machines set to launch in the winter.
Kawasaki has been arguably one of the more progressive major manufacturers when it comes to electrification, and has filed many patents in recent years for electric technology to be used in motorcycles.
Additionally, at the Suzuka 8 Hour race a few weeks ago, the Akashi brand unveiled for the first time publicly an electric, and a hybrid, motorcycle. The hybrid looked somewhat like a mid-range Ninja crossed with an H2, while the electric was much smaller, and looked more like a Z250, for example.
One of the most curious parts about the electric bike was the space left at the front of the bike behind the front wheel. Ordinarily, this is taken up by the radiator of a combustion bike, or the huge battery pack of an electric. With the Kawasaki, the battery was much smaller, and presumably the tighter packaging leads to a more nimble and agile motorcycle.
It is difficult to say for certain, of course, without riding the machine, but perhaps that will be possible soon. It is expected that it will pack around 14 horsepower (11kW), be called the E2, and launch in November according to the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF). That would put it in and around the 125cc range that most electrics tend to occupy currently.
However, the BMF says that the E2’s electric motor could produce a peak power output almost twice that of its nominal rating. 30 horsepower would put the E2 around 14 horsepower down on a Z400, for example.
The BMF also reports that there will be a faired version of the E2, potentially called the E2-R. This would have the same motor and performance, but presumably a sportier feeling, and the same 30-horsepower peak power.
As for range, prices, colours and other details, we will need to wait for Kawasaki to release more information.
