Electric motorcycles were once a rarity in the two-wheeler industry. But these days there are so many new models from a wide range of manufacturers that you’d have to go out of your way to avoid them. Fortunately for those in favor of progress, we actively seek them out. And these are the electric motorcycle news stories that you guys liked the most. You voted with your clicks, and these five stories became the biggest of 2022.
Harley-Davidson selling out its newest electric motorcycle in 18 minutes highlights pent-up demand
Harley-Davidson spun off its electric motorcycle operations into a dedicated EV brand last year with its big LiveWire launch.
LiveWire inherited the LiveWire One electric motorcycle from Harley, which made LiveWire’s second model its first to actually be developed under the new nameplate. The LiveWire S2 Del Mar launch was exciting for the company, but news that the Launch Edition of the S2 Del Mar sold out in 18 minutes was even more exciting for the industry.
The bike is expected to begin making deliveries early next year, though I got an early test ride on the bike this Autumn to see how the S2 Del Mar performs.
I was shocked to see that instead of being a toned down LiveWire One, it had nearly the same acceleration as its big brother. With a 0-60 mph time of around 3.1 seconds, it was ferocious off the line.
Cruising around New York with a mixture of city and highway riding gave me a feel for the bike’s handling in various scenarios, and I’m more pumped than ever for its upcoming release.
Check out my first ride experience here or take a look at the video below to see the bike in action.
TS Bravo is the latest low-cost electric motorcycle with the specs and price to upend the industry
There’s a chance you haven’t heard of this electric motorcycle, which would be fair since it is only starting to spread around Europe now.
The TS Bravo from Alrendo is a Chinese electric motorcycle built for the Western market. Its Eastern assembly means it can undercut the pricing of many major name-brand bikes, yet may actually offer better specs than many of the middleweight electric motorcycles you’re familiar with.
The European price is €11,200 (approximately US $12,300) including 20% European VAT, meaning the price may vary slightly from country to country depending on local VAT tax rates. The TS Bravo is available across the EU, as well as in Switzerland, Russia, Norway, and Israel. But Alrendo isn’t stopping there. As the head of Europe Connor McRae explained to Electrek:
There are several South East Asian countries we are entering at the moment, and we are in final talks for the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
On the specs side, you may be surprised by what the TS Bravo is packing. For example, the bike has a massive 17.4 kWh battery. That’s enough for 438 km (272 miles) of range at city speeds of 50 km/h (31 mph). At mixed city/highway riding averaging 80 km/h (50 mph), the TS Bravo has a reported range of 278 km (172 miles). And at faster 120 km/h (75 mph) highway blasting, the bike can still achieve an impressive 160 km (100 miles) of range.
As a commuter-level electric motorcycle, the top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph) won’t be the sportiest on the road. Daily commuters should find it to be plenty though since few riders require higher speeds on their way to work.
The TS Bravo is powered by a mid-mounted motor rated for 11 kW continuous and 20 kW peak. The water-cooled motor uses a Gates carbon belt drive and is capable of operating more efficiently at higher-power levels due to its improved cooling, which is part of the reason it can better maintain its peak power levels compared to air-cooled motors.
This is definitely one to keep your eye on.
Exclusive: Ryvid Anthem unveiled as revolutionary new affordable electric motorcycle in the US
We were excited to break the news on a brand-new California-based electric motorcycle company that unveiled its first model, the Ryvid Anthem.
Ryvid’s electric motorcycle is novel in a number of ways, from a striking new look to an innovative folded metal frame and even a seat that can be raised and lowered while riding by up to 4 inches (100 mm).
The light electric motorcycle is commuter-ready with a top speed of around 75 mph (120 km/h), meaning this is more of a getting around town type of bike than a canyon carver. It can still reach highway speeds though, making it ideal for everyday riding.
The Ryvid Anthem isn’t designed to compete with flagship electric motorcycles like the US $20k+ Zero SR/F or Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire One. Instead, the US $7,800 electric motorcycle is meant for average commuter riders with average commuter wallets.
The low mounting point of the 7.5 kW continuous-rated and 13.5 kW peak-rated motor keeps the weight lower on the bike, as does the low-slung 4.3 kWh battery pack. The entire bike weighs around 240 lb (108 kg), which is already quite light for an electric motorcycle, but the low center of mass makes the bike feel even nimbler. And with 250 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel, the Anthem takes full advantage of that electric motor.
Much of the Anthem’s weight comes from the 65 lb (29.5 kg) battery pack, which is removable for charging off of the bike when necessary. The battery removal process is quite ingenious, as unlocking it from the bike causes the battery to lower down onto a set of built-in wheels for easily rolling into an apartment or office building.
When returning the battery to the bike, the case of the battery locks into a fulcrum in the bike’s housing to lever up into place. That means the rider never supports the full weight of the battery.
Charging the battery on a typical home outlet will take 3 hours on 220V or 6 hours on 110V. An optional on-board charger instead of a separate brick charger is currently in the works but won’t be available at launch. If you have a ground-level outlet, such as in a garage, you’ll likely never need to remove the battery. But for anyone that lives in an apartment or lacks access to an outlet, the ability to roll the battery indoors, up and elevator and into your apartment or office to charge is a nice feature to have.
The Ryvid Anthem claims a range of 75 miles (120 km) in Eco mode or 40-50 mile range (64-80 km) in Sport Mode without the regenerative braking turned on. Mixed riding is likely to fall somewhere in the middle of those two figures.
I had the chance to test ride a Ryvid Anthem prototype a few months ago, which you can see in the video below. The experience was incredible and showed me just what a potent urban assault bike the Anthem truly is. From cruising PCH to slicing through the streets of Irvine, the Ryvid Anthem took me on a tour of LA to show off both the city and the bike’s abilities.
SUPER73 unveils new 75 mph light electric motorcycle
SUPER73 is best known as an electric bicycle brand that builds moped-inspired e-bikes. They may have functional pedals, but these aren’t your ordinary, everyday e-bikes. SUPER73 has a fiercely loyal community of riders that take bike culture (and customizations) to the next level.
So it only made sense that SUPER73 would drill down further into their roots towards the motorhead end of the spectrum, or at least the electric motorhead end. That’s exactly what they did with the Spring 2022 reveal of the brand’s upcoming SUPER73 C1X electric motorcycle.
This light electric motorcycle is designed to fill the gap between high-power electric bicycles and larger electric motorcycles. CEO LeGrand Crewse described it at the launch as the “natural evolution of a SUPER73.”
The smallish size and 31″ seat height puts it closer to a Honda Grom than a full-sized street bike, and the lower diameter 15″ wheels should keep it fairly nimble.
The bike will also be lighter than full-size electric motorcycles as well, as the company says it has a “target weight of under 300 lb.”
The C1X features a mid-mounted motor, though the company has not yet released a power figure for the motor. SUPER73 did say that it should get riders up to a max speed of “over 75 mph,” or at least 120 km/h for anyone keeping track across the pond.
SUPER73 opted for a chain drive on the C1X, so don’t expect this to be a silent electric motorcycle. Unlike most e-motos that use belt drives, chain-driven electric motorcycles tend to have a bit more chainsaw sound than motor whirr.
There’s no word yet on how large the battery pack on the SUPER73-C1X is, but the company claims it can eke out a maximum city range of 100 miles (160 km).
We also don’t know exactly when the bike will come to market, but it’s already begun low-speed testing ahead of an anticipated “late 2023” production commencement.
Yamaha reveals fresh-looking new design for an electric moped, plus new e-bikes and scooters
Yamaha hosted a large unveiling event as part of the brand’s new “Switch ON” campaign to showcase its electric vehicles, surprising many in the industry with the number of vehicles that Yamaha ultimately rolled on stage.
The company had six new electric two-wheelers to show off, but the star of the show was the most radical looking two-wheeler on stage, the Yamaha B01.
The eye-catching truss frame creates a step-through bike that fits nicely in the electric moped category with its large street tires and mid-mounted electric motor tied to a pedal drivetrain.
In fact, the bike looks so good that it even conjures up memories of another recently revealed electric bike, the Fantic Issimo.
As it turns out, Yamaha appears to have partnered with Fantic, resulting in the Issimo finding its way onto Yamaha’s stage adorned with a new Yamaha badge.
Whatever it’s called, the bike certainly embodies a fresh new electric moped design to challenge many of the same old recycled moped designs we’ve seen over the years.
Yamaha floated specs of up to 45 km/h (28 mph), making this a speed pedelec in Europe (similar to a Class 3 electric bike in the US).
It definitely sounds like Yamaha plans to bring the B01 concept to life. As President of Yamaha Motors Europe Eric De Seynes explained:
“Its future will become true sooner. We will start the production of this vehicle within one year, beginning in 2023.”
It’s hard to say what motor and battery Yamaha plans to put in the B01.
The Fantic Issimo came with a Bafang M500 mid-drive motor in the urban version of the bike, and the company paired it with a 630Wh battery. Yamaha very well may want to use its own brand of motor instead of opting for a Chinese alternative like Bafang, but that remains to be seen as the B01 works its way towards production.
What’s coming next in 2023?
You can tell by the most popular electric motorcycle stories of the year that there was a huge amount of variety in this year’s major electric motorcycle unveilings.
At the rate the industry is moving, who’s to say what we could see in 2023? There’s only one thing for sure: Electrek will be there to cover the news first as the premier EV website, bringing you all of the latest stories on the most interesting new electric two-wheelers.