Indian motorcycle brand Oben EV has announced its new bike, the Rorr, which is set to have a 60mph top speed, two-hour charge time, and 200km range.
Oben’s Rorr is also expected to boast a 0-40kph time of three seconds and, as reported by German publication Motorrad Online, a capacity of between 8.6kWh and 9kWh.
Away from the motor, Oben report the Rorr to use their “proprietary” ARX frame and offer “a whole new level of social engagement” by allowing the bike to be connected to the owner’s phone, seemingly through the use of a specific app, although there are no current details on this other than an image on Oben’s website.
While the Rorr is marketed primarily by Oben at its domestic Indian audience, an expected price of around £1500 sets an encouraging tone. Additionally, The Hindu Business Line reported on 3 February 2022 that Oben will begin to take orders for the Rorr from March 2022.
The news of the Rorr comes as the KTM Group has been revealed to be planning its own foray into the electric space. KTM’s E-Duke was revealed in a leaked document from a planning meeting, and will be based on Husqvarna’s E-Pilen. Husqvarna will also be launching the Vektorr electric scooter, and all three bikes - the E-Pilen, Vektorr and E-Duke - will be manufactured in India.
Between Oben and KTM there is a vast gap, in terms of finances, resources, and also experience of both manufacturing and marketing motorcycles. However, as with Stark and their VARG project, which was recently announced, Oben is proving that the electric revolution is an opportunity for new or smaller brands to find their own space in the motorcycle market, even if the established manufacturers - like KTM - continue to have a substantial presence.
