Kawasaki has showcased the prototype of its upcoming electric motorcycle at Intermot 2022 in Cologne, Germany. The manufacturer had first unveiled the prototype, along with a hybrid model, at the Suzuka 8 hours endurance race in Japan in August.
- Prototype features a mid-mounted motor and chain drive
- Likely to have 125cc-equivalent performance
Kawasaki had previously announced that it plans to roll out 10 electrified models by 2025, including fully electric and hybrid motorcycles. It is expected that the production-version of this prototype will be the first model from Team Green’s electrified range, which is likely to launch in international markets in 2023.
In terms of design, the prototype looked like it is based on Kawasaki’s Z range of street naked motorcycles, the Z250 to be specific. It features an electric motor mounted in the centre and a chain drive system, while the battery pack seems to be positioned in the underbelly. As for the hardware, the electric bike gets a telescopic fork up front and a monoshock at the rear, while braking duties are handled by discs at both ends.
While details about the electric motorcycle remain scarce, some leaked documents suggest that the bike could make up to 14.8hp, which will place it in 125cc-equivalent territory. However, details such as the battery capacity, range and charging time remain under wraps. Expect more details of the electric motorcycle to come through in due course.
Just recently, Kawasaki announced its partnership with Toyota to accelerate the development of hydrogen as a fuel source, and down the line, it could also be used to power a Kawasaki two-wheeler. It’ll be interesting to see what products emerge from this collaboration in the future.
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