Yamaha YE-01 electric dirt bike edges closer, as MXoN 2026 debut confirmed
Yamaha’s YE-01 electric motocross concept will make an exhibition run at the 2026 MXoN as the firm prepares for a possible future in electric racing.
Yamaha is set to put its YE-01 electric motocross concept through an exhibition run at the 2026 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) in Ernée, France, as the company looks to the future of electric motocross racing.
Yamaha first showed the YE-01 at EICMA in 2025, and it has been developed jointly with French electric motorcycle specialist Electric Motion. Rather than simply adapting an existing electric motorcycle, the project combines Yamaha’s YZ450F chassis technology and motocross racing experience with Electric Motion’s expertise in electric powertrains.
Yamaha says the bike has been developed with the potential for eventual participation in MXEP, an electric motocross racing series which is expected to launch in the near future.
The exhibition run at the MXoN will therefore allow the company to demonstrate the bike in a motocross environment while showcasing what it believes electric power can bring to the sport.
Technical details of the YE-01 remain limited at this stage, with Yamaha yet to announce production plans or a full specification for the machine. The company says the concept is intended to retain the core appeal and excitement of motocross while making use of the characteristics of electric power.
The project forms part of Yamaha's wider push towards electrification, with the company targeting carbon neutrality across its entire supply chain by 2050.
For now, the YE-01 remains firmly in concept territory, but its appearance at one of the biggest events on the motocross calendar suggests Yamaha is taking electric competition seriously. The planned MXEP series could provide the next step, potentially giving the YE-01 a proper racing role once the championship gets underway.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
