Royal Enfield unveils new electric motorcycle – and its the perfect type
Royal Enfield’s biggest announcement at EICMA 2024 – the Milan Motorcycle Show – was undoubtedly the drop of its new electric motorcycle, the Flying Flea C6 and S6.
“Flying Flea” turned out to be the name of not just the new bike but the entire electric sub-brand launched by Royal Enfield, designed to encompass a range of light to middleweight urban electric motorcycles.
The first two models, the classicly-styled Flying Flea C6 and scrambler-styled Flying Flea S6, set the direction for the brand while positioning the type of rider and the type of ride that Royal Enfield has envisioned for its electric future.
One look at the new bike shows that it fits with Royal Enfield’s design heritage, borrowing several design cues and mixing them with the modern opportunities afforded by electric motorcycle design work freed from the traditional bounds of conventional frames and engines.
At the same time, a nod to history in the design mimics several now vestigial features, including an electric motor case that looks like a crankcase and bodywork that mimics a fuel tank.
We can see the obvious inspiration from the original Royal Enfield Flying Flea motorcycle of the 1940s, famously airdropped into WWII alongside paratroopers to provide lightweight and speedy battlefield mobility. From the girder fork to the vintage-style saddle, it’s a slick-looking ride. But appearances, however eye-catching, can only take Royal Enfield so far. For the new Flying Flea to become a commercial success, it will have to be backed up by the right specs at the right price.
And the team at Royal Enfield has an answer for that too. They just aren’t telling us yet.
While the unveiling was big on pomp and highlighted the brand’s focus on bringing accessibility to the commuter electric motorcycle market, the company isn’t quite ready to spill the details on specifics. Nearly the entirety of the bike’s spec sheet remains shrouded in mystery. The company doesn’t expect the bike to go on sale until Q1 2026, so we’ve got some time to get there.
However, we can still glean a lot from looks alone. The battery itself is rather small, physically, meaning it is unlikely to offer a terribly long range on a single charge. The narrow battery case likely implies a single row of cylindrical battery cells, limiting its total capacity. Perhaps two rows of cells could fit, but it’d be a tight squeeze. Either way you slice it, there’s just not a ton of space in between your knees for batteries. And that’s ok, as long as Royal Enfield has positioned the bike properly for its role. The company has repeatedly referred to the Flying Flea C6’s role as “city+”, meaning it’s designed primarily for urban commuting, with occasional excursions further out and onto faster roads.
This isn’t going to be a long-range highway commuter, but it will likely be sufficient for hopping on local highways for an exit or two. That’s peak commuter bike, right there.
Secondly, the motor isn’t all that large either. Physical size isn’t the only indication of power in an electric motor, but it’s usually a good corollary. This isn’t going to be laying down LiveWire-like 0-60 mph times of 3.0 seconds, which again, isn’t something a commuter bike is meant to do. If I were a betting man, I’d put the battery capacity at between 4-5 kWh and the peak motor power at under 15 kW (20 hp). I imagine the battery will be slightly smaller than most of us would want, but the power level is likely perfectly adequate for commuter-level requirements. With small batteries comes limited peak power, that’s just physics.
To put it simply, the specs are likely to be fine, but not breathtaking. And that’s ok. In fact, it’s what the market needs right now.
We’ve all watched as high-performance electric motorcycle companies have struggled, even gone bankrupt, trying to chase high speed and long range. That pursuit of performance is often a nearly impossible balancing act without seeing the price skyrocket. The current size and expense of batteries simply make it nearly impossible to shoehorn enough of them into a motorcycle-sized package and have something that looks good, let alone remains affordable.
So instead of racing for the top, Royal Enfield has chosen the path less traveled these days: comfortably nestling into the sensible section of the market. With modest power and range figures comes modest pricing, and that’s Royal Enfield’s key to success. The company has long prided itself on building bikes that are accessible. And as many other companies have seen their sales stagnate or shrink, Royal Enfield has continued to grow in the last few years, reaching nearly a million units sold last year alone.
That combination of an eye for design mixed with sensible accessibility hasn’t just kept Royal Enfield afloat; it has helped the company prosper. And it just so happens that that’s exactly what the electric motorcycle market needs right now.
Fortunately – or more likely by design – this comes at a time when Royal Enfield is ready to take the risk. In candid discussions we had throughout the launch, it was underscored multiple times that Royal Enfield isn’t betting the farm on this. The company waited until they thought the time was right, but if the Flying Flea isn’t an immediate commercial success, we were assured that it wouldn’t drag the company down. That doesn’t mean the Royal Enfield team isn’t expecting success, but only that they’re not watching the world go by through rose-colored riding goggles either.
How much will the Flying Flea electric motorcycle cost?
This is the big question. More than “how fast?” and more than “how far?”, people want to know how much the Flying Flea C6 and S6 will cost.
And just like the performance specs, Royal Enfield isn’t ready to tell us. Depending on who I asked, they either know and aren’t saying yet, or they don’t even know it themselves.
But one thing is for sure, every member of Royal Enfield I questioned seemed to understand that pricing was going to be the critical factor here. They can see which machines have succeed and which have failed over the last few years. People went gangbusters over a $5,000 Metacycle (even if that bike proved too good to be true) and laughed in Can-Am’s face at their $14,000 commuter electric motorcycles.
If I had to guess, I can see Royal Enfield bringing the Flying Flea to market at between US $6,500 to $8,000. Discussions with leaders at Royal Enfield seemed to imply that the company is targeting multiple battery capacities and power levels to create various options for riders, meaning the entry-level model could be quite attractively priced, even if it must give up some range and top end to get there.
Ultimately, we don’t have much substance to judge the Flying Flea on yet. The bike looks great, at least in this journalist’s opinion. But once we can learn what’s going on under the hood and how many paychecks it will set us back, we can get a better idea of how well Royal Enfield can do on its first electric shot.
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In a bold bid to combat the crippling air pollution crisis in its capital, Delhi, Indian lawmakers have begun high-level discussions about a plan to phase out gas and diesel combustion vehicles by 2035 – a move that could cause a seismic shift in the global EV space and provide a cleaner, greener future for India’s capital.
Long considered one of the world’s most polluted capital cities, Indian capital Delhi is taking drastic steps to cut back pollution with a gas and diesel engine ban coming soon – but they want results faster than that. As such, Delhi is starting with a city-wide ban on refueling vehicles more than 15 years old, and it went into effect earlier this week. (!)
“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa … but they’re not stopping there. “Additionally, we will intensify scrutiny of heavy vehicles entering Delhi to ensure they meet prescribed environmental standards before being allowed entry.”
Making it prohibitively difficult for Dehli’s residents to own and operate older, presumably more polluting vehicles is one way to reduce harmful emissions and air pollution, but Sirsa’s team isn’t just targeting newer vehicles. They’re also planning to deploy more than 900 electric transit buses, part of a larger plan to replace 5,000 of the city’s 7,500 total bus with lower- or zero-emission options this year alone.
The Economic Times is reporting that discussions are underway to pass laws requiring that all future bus purchases will be required to be electric or “clean fuel” (read: CNG or hydrogen) by the end of this year, with a gas/diesel ban on “three-wheelers and light goods vehicles,” (commercial tuk-tuks and delivery mopeds) potentially coming 2026 to 2027 and a similar ban privately owned and operated cars and bikes coming “between 2030 and 2035.”
Electrek’s Take
After a Chinese government study linked air pollution caused by automotive exhausts and coal-fired power plants to more than 1.1 million deaths per year in 2013, the nation’s government took serious action, shuttering older coal plants and imposing strict emissions standards. The country also incentivized EV adoption through license-plate lotteries favoring electric cars and a nationwide EV mandate set to kick in by 2030.
The results were astounding, and the technological innovations that have come from an entire nation of talented engineers all “pulling in the same direction” have put the West to shame, with Western auto executives repeatedly sounding the alarm and lobbying for tariffs and other protectionist policies on both sides of the Atlantic.
To see India make move towards a gas and diesel ban like this, and on such an aggressive timeline, can only mean that they’ve been paying attention … and America is about to fall even further behind.
SOURCE: India Times; featured image by Sumita Roy Dutta.
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Last week, Parker Hannifin launched what they’re calling the industry’s first certified Mobile Electrification Technology Center to train mobile equipment technicians make the transition from conventional diesel engines to modern electric motors.
The electrification of mobile equipment is opening new doors for construction and engineering companies working in indoor, environmentally sensitive, or noise-regulated urban environments – but it also poses a new set of challenges that, while they mirror some of the challenges internal combustion faced a century ago, aren’t yet fully solved. These go beyond just getting energy to the equipment assets’ batteries, and include the integration of hydraulic implements, electronic controls, and the myriad of upfit accessories that have been developed over the last five decades to operate on 12V power.
At the same time, manufacturers and dealers have to ensure the safety of their technicians, which includes providing comprehensive training on the intricacies of high-voltage electric vehicle repair and maintenance – and that’s where Parker’s new mobile equipment training program comes in, helping to accelerate the shift to EVs.
“We are excited to partner with these outstanding distributors at a higher level. Their commitment to designing innovative mobile electrification systems aligns perfectly with our vision to empower machine manufacturers in reducing their environmental footprint while enhancing operational efficiency,” explains Mark Schoessler, VP of sales for Parker’s Motion Systems Group. “Their expertise in designing mobile electrification systems and their capability to deliver integrated solutions will help to maximize the impact of Parker’s expanding METC network.”
The manufacturing equipment experts at Nott Company were among the first to go through the Parker Hannifin training program, certifying their technicians on Parker’s electric motors, drives, coolers, controllers and control systems.
“We are proud to be recognized for our unwavering dedication to advancing mobile electrification technologies and delivering cutting-edge solutions,” says Nott CEO, Markus Rauchhaus. “This milestone would not have been possible without our incredible partners, customers and the team at Nott Company.”
In addition to Nott, two other North American distributors (Depatie Fluid Power in Portage, Michigan, and Hydradyne in Fort Worth, Texas) have completed the Parker certification.
Electrek’s Take
With the rise of electric equipment assets like Bobcat’s T7X compact track loader and E10e electric excavator that eliminate traditional hydraulics and rely on high-voltage battery systems, specialized electrical systems training is becoming increasingly important. Seasoned, steady hands with decades of diesel and hydraulic systems experience are obsolete, and they’ll need to learn new skills to stay relevant.
Certification programs like Parker’s are working to bridge that skills gap, equipping technicians with the skills to maximize performance while mitigating risks associated with high-voltage systems. Here’s hoping more of these start popping up sooner than later.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Parker Hannifin.
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Based on a Peterbilt 579 commercial semi truck, the ReVolt EREV hybrid electric semi truck promises 40% better fuel economy and more than twice the torque of a conventional, diesel-powered semi. The concept has promise – and now, it has customers.
Austin, Texas-based ReVolt Motors scored its first win with specialist carrier Page Trucking, who’s rolling the dice on five of the Peterbilt 579-based hybrid big rigs — with another order for 15 more of the modified Petes waiting in the wings if the initial five work out.
The deal will see ReVolt’s “dual-power system” put to the test in real-world conditions, pairing its e-axles’ battery-electric torque with up to 1,200 miles of diesel-extended range.
ReVolt Motors team
The ReVolt team starts off with a Peterbilt, then removes the transmission and drive axle, replacing them with a large genhead and batteries. As the big Pete’s diesel engine runs (that’s right, kids – the engine stays in place), it creates electrical energy that’s stored in the trucks’ batteries. Those electrons then flow to the truck’s 670 hp e-axles, putting down a massive, 3500 lb-ft of Earth-moving torque to the ground at 0 rpm.
The result is an electrically-driven semi truck that works like a big BMW i3 or other EREV, and packs enough battery capacity to operate as a ZEV (sorry, ZET) in ports and urban clean zones. And, more importantly, allows over-the-road drivers to hotel for up to 34 hours without idling the engine or requiring a grid connection.
That ability to “hotel” in the cab is incredibly important, especially as the national shortage of semi truck parking continues to worsen and the number of goods shipped across America’s roads continues to increase.
And, because the ReVolt trucks can hotel without the noise and emissions of diesel or the loss of range of pure electric, they can immediately “plug in” to existing long-haul routes without the need to wait for a commercial truck charging infrastructure to materialize.
“Drivers should not have to choose between losing their longtime routes because of changing regulatory environments or losing the truck in which they have already made significant investments,” explains Gus Gardner, ReVolt founder and CEO. “American truckers want their trucks to reflect their identity, and our retrofit technology allows them to continue driving the trucks they love while still making a living.”
If all of that sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard of Hyliion.
Hyliion electric semi truck
Before it changed its focus to develop Carnot-cycle generators and gensets, Austin-based Hyliion built a number of EREV Peterbilts using the then-new 15L Cummins diesel as a generator and employing the same sort of battery and e-axle-arrangement as ReVolt.
In addition to being located in the same town and employing the same idea in the same Peterbilt 579 tractor, ReVolt even employs some of the same key players as Hyliion: both the company’s CTO, Chandra Patil, and its Director of Engineering, Blake Witchie, previously worked at Hyliion’s truck works.
Still, Hyliion made their choice when they shut down their truck business. ReVolt seems to have picked up the ball – and their first customer is eager to run with it.
“Our industry is undergoing a major transition, and fleet owners need practical solutions that make financial sense while reducing our environmental impact,” said Dan Titus, CEO of Page Trucking. “ReVolt’s hybrid drivetrain lowers our fuel costs, providing our drivers with a powerful and efficient truck, all without the need for expensive charging infrastructure or worrying about state compliance mandates. The reduced emissions also enable our customers to reduce their Scope 2 emissions.”
Page Trucking has a fleet of approximately 500 trucks in service, serving the agriculture, hazardous materials, and bulk commodities industries throughout Texas. And, if ReVolt’s EREV semis live up to their promise, expect them to operate a lot more than 20 of ’em.
SOURCES | IMAGES: ReVolt; via Power Progress, TTNews.
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