The big, glaring problem with Kawasaki’s electric motorcycles
It’s not often we get to applaud a legacy motorcycle manufacturer for doing what so many still haven’t: actually bringing an electric motorcycle to market. So credit where credit is due – Kawasaki didn’t just make one electric motorcycle, they made two: the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1.
They’re sleek, affordable, and surprisingly refined machines that show real promise in design and execution. But once you get past the glossy panels and respected nameplate, there’s still one glaring issue that we can’t ignore.
And that giant issue is the tiny battery.
The battery’s total capacity is a mere 3.0 kWh, split among a pair of 1.5 kWh removable packs. At that size, the two 25-pound (11.5 kg) batteries powering the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 make it seem more like an e-bike than an e-moto.
And I don’t mean that figuratively – there are electric bicycles on the market with nearly as much battery as these motorcycles. Eunorau’s Flash e-bike, for example, packs over 2.4 kWh into a pedalable two-wheeler.
We’ve long known how vital range figures are to riders in the electric motorcycle world (even if they will rarely ever push it to the max), and Kawasaki, for all its engineering prowess, delivered a battery spec that limits these bikes from the start.
Kawasaki has positioned its e-1 models as urban commuters, and to be fair, that’s where they perform best. Their top speed is capped at 52 mph (85 km/h), with a temporary “e-Boost” mode unlocking 65 mph (105 km/h) for up to 15 seconds – a clever solution for occasional bursts that doesn’t overly drain the small battery. That limited top speed helps preserve range, keeping the battery from running flat in minutes like it might on a highway blast. But let’s be honest: it also firmly puts these bikes in scooter territory. And there’s nothing wrong with scooters – I use one as my daily driver. But nothing with a Ninja badge is ever meant to feel scooter-y.
The official city range is rated at 41 miles (65 km), which sounds modestly acceptable at a glance, at least for a city bike. But we know how optimistic the range numbers from manufacturers can be. Add in some hills, stop-and-go traffic, cold weather, or a heavier rider, and you’re likely looking at sub-30 mile (48 km) real-world range in many cases. Again, that’s not far off from an electric bicycle.
And while the removable dual-pack battery design is appreciated, it’s not especially user-friendly. Each 25 lb (11.5 kg) pack is about the size of a jerrycan and must be carried individually. Compare that to something like the Ryvid Anthem, which has a 4.3 kWh battery (nearly 50% larger than Kawasaki’s), faster charging, higher speed (75+ mph or 120+ km/h), and a roll-out battery that can be easily rolled along like a carry-on suitcase. And all of that comes in at just $100 more than Kawasaki’s $7,899 sticker price. So it’s not like it can’t be done.
To be clear, Kawasaki got a lot right. The bikes look fantastic. The frame and component quality seem like what you’d expect from a major OEM. And the sub $8k price is far more approachable than the $20,000+ tags seen on other electric motorcycles. These bikes aren’t toys. They’re real motorcycles with full-size wheels, ABS, and Kawasaki-level fit and finish.
But here’s the thing: we need to talk about the minimum viable battery size for electric motorcycles. For scooters, 3 kWh is barely okay. For 30 mph (48 km/h) mopeds, it’s fine. But for a motorcycle – especially one that looks like a Ninja – it sets expectations the bike can’t meet. The styling says “motorcycle,” but the performance is still firmly in the “scooter” class. And that’s okay – if we call it what it is.
The larger disappointment isn’t that Kawasaki made a bad bike – it’s that they made a great one and gave it a powerplant that holds it back. With just 50% more battery (say, 4.5 to 5 kWh), the e-1 platform could be a potent contender for an excellent commuter e-moto. Even more so if that extra energy came with a bit more speed and a faster charger.
And again, to Kawasaki’s credit, they actually shipped something. While Honda and Yamaha continue to dabble in electric concepts and low-volume scooters, and Suzuki still watches the world pass it by, Kawasaki now has two real, road-legal electric motorcycles for sale right now in the US. That’s no small feat.
But if we’re going to take electric motorcycles mainstream, 3 kWh can’t be the bar. 40 miles of range *at the best of times* can’t be the bar. Riders need practical range, usable top speeds, and charging solutions that don’t require an entire afternoon to refill. Right now, Kawasaki’s e-1 series scratches the surface – but it doesn’t dig deep enough.
Here’s hoping this is just the beginning. Kawasaki has already committed to electrifying more of its lineup in the coming years. If the next models carry the same design sensibility, but with bigger batteries and more ambition, they might just bring real competition to the electric motorcycle market. And that’s something we should all root for.
Oh yeah, and Honda, I haven’t forgotten about you. Stop playing around and get your freakin’ head in the game.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!
Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.
Source Links
Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.
he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.
Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.
“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.
The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.
Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.
Countering EV myths with hard data
There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.
It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.
“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”
ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.
Read more: Volkswagen’s 47% BEV sales jump includes a 24% boost in the US
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Here's our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/07/Kia-EV2-closest-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.
Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet
Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.
Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.
Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.
Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.
Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.
The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.
As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.
The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.
Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.
Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”
With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.
The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.
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
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike