Royal Enfield has made no secret of the fact that it is developing electric two-wheelers. And the image of its very first electric motorcycle concept is finally here. Electrik01 sports distinctive design elements, which RE explained in the product brief.
Although this isn't a comprehensive view of the motorcycle but a partial view. The front suspension is in the shape of an unusual girder fork. The product brief uses words like non-conformist, game changer and lone wolf. It is possible the production version of this motorcycle will keep the girder fork setup.
It includes high-quality tactile finishes and touchpoints, and neo-vintage/classic styling. The girder fork was most popular in the first half of the previous century, so it has a lot of nostalgic appeals. This can also be seen in the traditional round headlight and the fact that the Electrik01 has a conventional fuel tank.
The chassis comes with two frame tubes protruding from either side of the headstock. One runs along the top edge of the fuel tank and the other runs downward, cradling the battery pack. The presence of alloy wheels wrapped in Avon Roadrider tyres is more conventional.
A road-going Royal Enfield electric motorcycle is still a long way off. The bike you see here is still in its early stages of development, with RE referring to it as a QFD (Quality Function Development) concept. QFD is a product development model aimed at translating customer needs and expectations into end results.
RE has spent a significant amount of time road-testing before releasing products to the public. Because this is the first time RE is implementing a new propulsion technology. We expect even longer development timelines than usual.
The product will adhere to its own ethos and DNA rather than that of the segment. The fact that the bike will have neo-retro styling cues adds to the Enfield character.
Images Source - Autocar India