Yamaha Builds a Plug-in-Hybrid MT-09 Concept

A new plug-in-hybrid motorcycle has been unveiled by Yamaha, and it appears to be based on the company’s hypernaked MT-09.

While details about the new petrol-electric hybrid are scarce at the moment, it’s clear that the new petrol-electric concept takes after the sub-1000cc MT-09 visually, although it gets a more beefed-up mid-section thanks to the electric powertrain.

The MT-09 is currently available in three models, which are the SP version, the standard MT-09 and the Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission (Y-AMT) variant that offers riders a fully automatic or traditional manual gearshift experience.

Joining those three models could be this new plug-in-hybrid concept, although it's not production-ready at the time of writing. Revealed on the Japanese brand’s YouTube channel, the fuel tank gets a grill that acts as a cooling vent while also receiving a slightly different headlight set-up, although it clearly takes after the MT-09 with its aggressive styling.

When the hybrid MT-09 stops, it switches to its electric mode and is powered by the electric motor when taking off. No need for the clutch, the bike begins to move with your regular throttle input while still being in electric mode.

It’s only when the bike reaches a certain speed of around 35mph that the engine kicks in, and the motorcycle then switches into hybrid mode. Based on the video from Yamaha, it looks as though the design has been worked on for a significant period of time, as the switch from electric mode to hybrid is very smooth. 

There’s also an LCD console that’s visible on the hybrid bike, and it is positioned on the handlebar to show the rider how much charge is left. The battery can be charged with a charging port that’s found at the rear of the bike.

Interestingly, Yamaha has decided to introduce this hybrid MT-09 concept just a couple of months after unveiling the X-Max SPHEV mid-capacity scooter.

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