Team Green just released at this year’s EICMA that they are on track to show three EV machines for next year.
This bid for an electric future is right up the alley with the company’s recently released goals to be fully electric by 2035. It’s also a goal that matches up nicely with the EU’s trajectory to cut 78% emissions by 2035, though the thought of Kawasaki going fully electric in less than 15 years has left more than a few Kawi fans both curious and dubious of the trajected timeline.
“I don’t think sports bikes or tourers are ready to go Electric,” ponders a commentator in response to Electrek’s article on the same topic.
“The battery density (charging) is still not there but it will come and it will come fast. They would do well to at least dip their toe in the water and make a few, just so they can work out all the issues.”
All nitty-gritty bits aside, the business means…well, business – as seen in the words of Kawasaki’s CEO Hiroshi, who was loud and clear dropping the following statement at this year’s EICMA:
“I would like to share a new commitment with you now: Next year in 2022, we will show a minimum of three electric vehicles globally. That is a promise.”
Bottom line, the ‘Endeavour pure electric EV’ project from Team Green’s lab may not have made it to Milan this year, but with the company making big promises toward a lean, clean, green future (and many other brand names requiring extensions on their own deadlines), we’re going to go ahead and assume they’re on track…for now.
Let us know what you think and drop a comment below – we love hearing what you think.
In the meantime, be sure to also give the latest news from EICMA a peek or two, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.
Bless the little hearts of the early adopters who spend their money to buy the early versions of electric motorcycles.
The relative energy density of batteries vs. petroleum-based fuel is a non-trivial problem and there is NO indication it will “come and come fast” like some anonymous person quoted in this article claims. The future is unknown, and just because some people expect certain things to happen does NOT mean those things are going to happen ( I’m still waiting on fusion energy, which ever few years is promised to arrive very soon ).
I meant to write “every few years”, above.
Your comment section needs a temporarily available edit function, like comment sections on the better websites have.
I believe if you look at how far electric motorcycles have come in the last three years, regarding distance and charging times.
Given new technologies, I don’t think that long haul tourers and sports bikes will have any trouble covering vast K’s or suffer from charge time lag in the next 3, let alone 10 – 14
Whoever titled this article plays with the words. Is it the same to show three electric vehicles as it is to launch three electric motorcycles? Showing and launching models may be different actions. Plus, Kawasaki builds a variety of vehicles, not just motorcycles. Who said the three electric vehicles were going to be all motorcycles? I didn’t see that in the article.
Hello Greg,
While the lean of the sourced article seems to have bent toward bikes, I gave the data another skim and I think you’re right – there’s nobody saying that the electric vehicles are guaranteed to be two-wheeled (though wouldn’t it be absolutely fabulous if it were).
To that effect, I have remedied the article to better suit the quote of Kawasaki CEO, Hiroshi – just in case.
Thanks for stopping by, we love reading what y’all give us in the comments section. 🙂
Cheers,
Amanda
Why is syn fuel like the ets fuel they use in moto gp
bein given the short shift? I like ice engines and the sound is glorious.
I’ve been riding a Zero for three years, and love it. In the past I really enjoyed long distance rides, but my interest shifted, wanted to learn to ride fast. So my zeros have spent more time on a track than public streets.
I believe that long haul touring bikes are likely to be the last to go electric, as the energy density is not yet available. My battery weighs almost 200 lbs and carries the energy equivalent of 0.4 gallons of gasoline. Only through the amazing efficiency of an electric motor can this be made to achieve almost 100 miles of range.
I wonder if some motorcycle manufactures instead of doing research and development are waiting for someone else to figure it out. Once that happens they copy it and adapt it to their own frame. I have been riding a Zero for years and see new EV motorcycles from other brands when they hit the market are so similar it almost looks obvious.