How mid-power electric motorcycles are a game changer for new riders
The motorcycle industry has long stood at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. While roaring engines and iconic designs have been the pride of the past, the future holds the hum of electric powertrains. Until recently, the electric revolution largely focused on creating the fastest, most powerful electric bikes, often sporting equally hefty price tags. However, the emergence of medium-power electric motorcycles has ignited a new spark in the two-wheeler universe, one that promises to bring more new riders into the fold.
Electric motorcycles offer several benefits that are hard to ignore. They are clean, efficient, and feature significantly fewer moving parts, which helps them require less maintenance than their gas-powered counterparts. However, the eye-watering prices of high-power electric models have long kept them out of reach for many potential motorcyclists. Energica makes amazing machines, for example, but few are ready to part with $25,000 for a motorcycle that likely won’t be their primary vehicle.
Enter the medium-power segment – bikes that prioritize practicality over sheer power, offering an ideal blend of performance and affordability. Many of these middle-weight electric motorcycles eschew the triple-digit mile per hour limit, instead focusing on top speeds in the 70-85 mph (112-137 km/h) range, sufficient for highway travel while not requiring the same massive motors and batteries as flagship e-motos.
Price is a significant deterrent for many when considering a shift to electric vehicles, whether four-wheeled or two. While the dream of owning an electric car remains elusive for many due to their premium cost, medium-power electric motorcycles present an enticing, cost-effective alternative. With advancements in battery technology and production efficiency, these bikes offer the thrill of electric riding without burning a hole in one’s pocket.
Flagship electric motorcycles still lead the pack, but their price tags have priced out much of the younger market full of new riders. Zero recently dropped its premier models’ prices to just below US $20k ahead of its 2024 model year release, while LiveWire and Energica both offer flagship rides starting just above that US $20k mark.
A new wave of mid-power electric motorcycles, such as the $8.5k CSC RX1E, the $9k Ryvid Anthem, and the $7.3k Kawasaki Z e-1, are bringing never-before-seen accessibility to the electric motorcycle market. Models that bridge the gap, such as the more powerful $12k Zero FXE and $15.5k LiveWire S2 Del Mar put riders closer to flagship performance while still significantly undercutting the price tags of flagship high-power electric motorcycles.
From e-bikes to e-motorcycles
The market for mid-power electric motorcycles is expanding as more people discover the world of electric two-wheelers. A surge in electric bicycle ridership has put more Americans on two-wheels than ever before. A unique segment of that market in the US includes larger, heavier, and more powerful electric bicycles that have begun to blur the lines between bicycles, mopeds, and light motorcycles.
While traditional modest power electric bicycles are potent transportation alternatives in their own right, many riders have become bike-curious about motorcycles after getting their first taste of powered two-wheelers from e-bikes. Light and mid-power electric motorcycles allow riders to upgrade to higher speeds and power levels that get them out of the bike lane and onto major roads, enjoying similar benefits of efficient electric bicycle transportation while adding the higher speed advantages of car travel on major roads and highways.
Widespread benefits of mid-power electric motorcycles
But the benefits of the new wave of lighter electric motorcycles go far beyond riders’ wallets. The broader implications of a surge in medium-power electric motorcycle adoption are immense.
Urban centers around the US, and in fact around the world, grapple with the chokehold of increasing traffic congestion. It’s a problem exacerbated by an increasing number of cars on the road, making inefficient use of public space.
Motorcycles, given their compact size, have always been a solution to this issue. They can wiggle through traffic, require less parking space, and can ride two or three vehicles wide in slow-moving traffic to make better use of crowded urban street space. By opting for electric two-wheelers, new riders not only reduce their own carbon footprint as well as eliminate harmful emissions that would be breathed in by those living in cities around them, but also contribute to easing urban traffic gridlock.
Furthermore, there’s the overarching theme of environmental responsibility. As the world races to limit its carbon emissions, transportation remains a critical sector to address.
For those unable to afford an expensive new electric car, medium-power electric motorcycles present a tangible way to participate in the green revolution. New riders can take pride in their reduced environmental impact, all while enjoying the unique sense of freedom that only a motorcycle can offer.
Sure, a brand new electric car would be nice, but many young adults can’t afford a $30-$50k purchase. An $8k electric motorcycle gets them rolling in a more efficient electric vehicle that urban residents will likely find more enjoyable.
While the allure of high-powered electric motorcycles is undeniable, it’s the medium-power segment that may hold the key to widespread adoption.
By offering an affordable, eco-friendly alternative to both traditional bikes and cars, they have the potential to reshape urban landscapes. If we genuinely hope to nudge more people towards sustainable transport options, then championing the rise of medium-power electric motorcycles is not just preferable – it’s essential.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Mitsubishi is partnering with Ample and Yamoto Transports to deploy an innovative new battery swap network for electric cars in its Japanese home market — but it’s not just for electric cars. Mitsubishi Fuso commercial trucks are getting in on the action, too!
Despite a number of early EV adopters with an overdeveloped concept of ownership, battery swap technology has proven to be both extremely effective and extremely positive to the overall EV ownership experience. And when you see how simple it is to add hundreds of miles of driving in just 100 seconds — quicker, in many cases, than pumping a tank of liquid fuel into an ICE-powered car — you might come around, yourself.
That seems to be what Mitsubishi thinks, anyway, and they’re hoping they’ll be your go-to choice when it’s time to electrify your regional and last-mile commercial delivery fleet(s) by launching a multi-year pilot program to deploy more than 150 battery-swappable commercial electric vehicles and 14 modular battery swapping stations across Tokyo, where the company plans to showcase its “five minute charging” tech in full view of hundreds of commercial fleets and, crucially, the executives of the companies that own and manage them.
A truck like the Mitsubishi eCanter typically requires a full night of AC charging to top off its batteries, and at least an hour or two on DC charging in Japan, according to Fuso. This joint pilot by Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks, and Ample aims to circumvent this issue of forced downtime with its swappable batteries, supporting vehicle uptime by delivering a full charge within minutes. The move is meant to encourage the transport industry’s EV shift while creating a depository of stored energy that can be deployed to the grid in the event of a natural disaster — something Mitsubishi in Japan has been working on for years.
Trucks like the eCanter already serve a number of roles throughout the global truck market, including municipal waste collection, regional delivery support, and more.
The pilot is backed by Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Technology Development Support Project for Promoting New Energy,” with local delivery operator Yamato Transport testing swappable EVs for delivery operations on both its eCanter light-duty trucks and Mitsubishi Minicab kei-class electric vans.
Electrek’s Take
Electrifying the commercial truck fleet is a key part of decarbonizing city truck fleets – not just here in the US, but around the world. I called the eCanter, “a great product for moving stuff around densely packed city streets,” and eliminating the corporate fear of EV charging in the wild just makes it an even better product for that purpose.
Here’s hoping we see more “right size” electric solutions like this one (and more battery swapping tech) in small towns and tight urban environments stateside somewhat sooner than later.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Mitsubishi, Fuso.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
After becoming the first European brand to offer fully electric versions of every model it sells — and at the same price as the ICE models — Opel is going even further, with a new, AWD electric SUV that should give American Jeep fans hope for a new electric Cherokee!
Now part of the Stellantis, rather than GM portfolio of brands, Rüsselsheim-based Opel showed off the first official pictures of its new Opel Grandland Electric AWD — the company’s first all-electric SUV to feature the “Blitz” performance emblem and all-wheel drive.
“Our top-of-the-range Grandland SUV is a milestone for Opel,” says Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “Customers already have a choice of battery-electric drive, plug-in hybrid and hybrid with 48-volt technology. We are now offering even more choice with the Grandland Electric AWD and thus ensuring that our customers can enjoy maximum efficiency and safety in diverse weather and road conditions, combined with plenty of driving fun.”
Stellantis gets it right in Europe
Opel says its new, AWD Grandland is its most aerodynamically efficient model yet, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.278. That efficiency, paired with similarly efficient electric motors and a 73 kWh li-ion NMC battery give the electric crossover a 501 km (311 mile) WLTP range, while a combined 325 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque should make for suitably spirited acceleration to go along with all that green cred.
Suspension and handling, too, are promised to deliver on what Opel claims is a “typical” Teutonic driving experience in the Grandland AWD:
Both driving pleasure and comfort are further emphasized by dampers with frequency selective damping technology. This unique technology comes as standard on the Grandland Electric AWD and incorporates a second hydraulic circuit in the damper chamber to mechanically adapt the damping force in relation to the frequency. Depending on the situation, road surface conditions and driving style, it enables different damping characteristics for comfortable gliding at high frequencies – i.e. with short impacts such as on cobblestones or a manhole cover – as well as for a sporty, ambitious driving style with more direct contact with the road at low frequencies. The Grandland reacts even more immediately and directly to any command from the driver and, as is typical for Opel, remains stable when braking, cornering and at high speeds on the Autobahn.
OPEL PRESS RELEASE
The Opel Grandland Electric AWD ships with four standard drive modes that include “normal,” eco, sport, and 4WD mode, which simulates locking axles and true 4×4 off-road performance. The ESP and traction control systems adopt specific settings to enhance grip in 4WD mode as well, and maximum power and torque are instantly available.
Electrek’s Take
As you maybe could tell by now, feeding European Stellantis EVs into an AI image generator and asking it to “make them into Jeeps” is one of my new favorite things to do. This new Opel is no different, and the resulting image (above) paired with the models’ stated specs give me hope that the next wave of Jeep EVs will do better than the Wagoneer S at attracting buyers. All they really need, I think, is the right name — and the right price, to be winners.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Opel.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Like a 90s “gifted” kid that was supposed to be a lot of things, the electric Jeep Wagoneer S never really found its place — but with dealers discounting the Jeep brands forward-looking flagship by nearly $25,000, it might be time to give the go-fast Wagoneer S a second look.
SKIP THE STORY: get straight to the deals.
Whether we’re talking about Mercedes-Benz, Cerberus, Fiat, or even Enzo Ferrari, outsiders have labeled Jeep as a potentially premium brand that could, “if managed properly,” command luxury-level prices all over the globe. That hasn’t happened, and Stellantis is just the latest in a long line of companies to sink massive capital into the brand only to realize that people will not, in fact, spend Mercedes money on a Jeep.
That said, the Jeep Wagoneer S is not a bad car (and neither is its totally different, hideously massive, ICE-powered Wagoneer sibling, frankly). Built on the same Stellantis STLA Large vehicle platform that underpins the sporty Charger Daytona EVs, the confusingly-named Wagoneer S packs dual electric motors putting out almost 600 hp. That’s good enough to scoot the ‘ute 0 to 60 mph in a stomach-turning 3.5 seconds and enough, on paper, to convince Stellantis executives that they had developed a real, market-ready alternative to the Tesla Model Y.
With the wrong name and a sky-high starting price of $66,995 (not including the $1,795 destination fee), however, that demand didn’t materialize, leaving the Wagoneer S languishing on dealer lots across the country.
That could be about to change, however, thanks to big discounts on Wagoneer S being reported at CDJR dealers in several states, according to our friends at the Car Dealership Guy podcast.
- Jimmy Britt Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Georgia, has a Wagoneer S with an MSRP of $67,590 listed at $43,104 ($24,486 off)
- In Florida, Taverna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat has a $67,590 Wagoneer S slashed to $43,138 ($24,452 off)
- Chris Nikel Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Fiat in Oklahoma has a Wagoneer S listed for $43,425 ($24,165 off)
“Stellantis bet big on electric versions of iconic American brands like Jeep and Dodge, but consumers aren’t buying the premise,” writes CDG’s Marcus Amick. “(Stellantis’ dealer body) is now stuck with expensive EVs that need huge discounts to move, eating into already thin margins while competitors focus on [more] profitable gas-powered vehicles.”
All of which is to say: if you’ve found yourself drawn to the Jeep Wagoneer S, but couldn’t quite stomach the $70,000+ window stickers, you might want to check in with your local Jeep dealer and see how you feel about it at a JCPenneys-like 30% off!
Jeep Wagoneer S gallery
SOURCES | IMAGES: Car Dealership Guy, CarScoops, and CarsDirect.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut