There was never any doubt about it, EVs were always going to catch up with ICE, it was always just a matter of time. Given that we’re currently living through this moment, it may seem like said ‘matter of time’ is taking awfully long. However, if you zoom out, you’ll see things differently.
The century-old internal combustion engine is close to its peak in terms of development, and we’re hardly going to see any more major breakthroughs. If anything, ICE’s future lies in synthetic fuels and lubricants created with carbon dioxide captured from the air with the help of green electricity/hydrogen. And that’s another technology that’s a long way away.
With EVs, the speed of development is massive, and in just the last decade, we have gone from awful imported Chinese products powered by lead-acid batteries to a full-fledged and rapidly expanding domestic industry. In fact, it was Ultraviolette’s recent X-47 Venom launch that got me thinking on these lines, because on paper, at least, this electric motorcycle has taken a sizable step closer to ICE bikes in its appeal.
No other Indian company has come remotely close to Ultraviolette when it comes to desirable electric motorcycles. At the same time, UV’s line-up has never been able to escape one harsh reality. Thus far, their bikes effectively demand premium 400cc money while offering 250cc performance and carrying 600cc weight. This was simply down to the limitations of the technology available at the time. That tech is evolving.
As with the still unreleased Tesseract e-scooter and Shockwave electric bike, Ultraviolette has moved the X-47’s powertrain architecture from 60 volts to 100 volts. Some of the benefits of a higher voltage platform include lower heat, thinner cables and smaller/lighter power electronics. In simple terms – less weight, faster charging, the potential for more speed and the ability to offer that performance for a longer duration.
Sure enough, UV now claims a 0-100kph time of 5.9s, which is right up there with the 350-400cc class of motorcycles. Even more relevant, the company says it’s up to 20 kilos lighter, although our rough calculations put that number at around 17kg. This is another big change and again, brings the bike closer to the 400cc class.
What I haven’t quite understood is how the company claims to have reduced battery weight while increasing its capacity from 10.3kWh to 11kWh. Nevertheless, there’s now more promised range too, at 343km. By the time you read this in early November, I’ll have ridden the bike and will hopefully have clear answers to how UV has made all these changes.
We’ll end this on the note that this company is now at a critical juncture where it truly has to prove itself – no longer in what it can develop, but in what it can sell. There is a fair amount of public discontent thanks to the big delays over its promised scooter and off-road motorcycle. Moreover, its sales numbers are approaching the point where a start-up discovers the true pains of transitioning into a mainstream manufacturer, especially in terms of reliability and consistency of quality.
I’ve always admired the engineering capability and ingenuity over at UV, and this move to a new high-voltage platform is another commendable achievement. Now, it is crucial that the company gets a lot of things right in 2027. As always, we wish them well.