Kawasaki has lastly revealed the ultimate specs in addition to pricing for its first two electrical bikes, the Kawasaki Ninja e-1 and Z e-1.
Each bikes at the moment are launching in North American markets (US and Canada) in addition to within the UK.
Within the US, the Ninja e-1 will probably be priced at US $7,599, whereas the 2024 Z e-1 begins at a barely decrease US $7,299.
Each fashions have rock-bottom efficiency specs, main our earlier protection to conclude that their solely hope for fulfillment can be if the costs matched the low-hanging efficiency. And it seems to be like Kawasaki managed to drag it off with decrease pricing than many had anticipated.
Whereas not reaching parity with the model’s 125cc combustion engine-powered fashions, the costs nonetheless put the brand new fashions sq. within the heart of the commuter electrical bike market.
The Kawasaki Ninja e-1 (faired sport bike) and the Z e-1 (bare bike) will each share the identical 5 kW electrical motor. That chain-driving motor is rated for 9 kW of peak energy, however solely in bursts.
There are two driving modes, Eco and Street mode. The bikes have a lift button that will increase the burst energy and high pace quickly. Eco mode will use decrease energy and is proscribed to 40 mph (64 km/h) however can hit 47 mph (76 km/h) in enhance mode. Street mode provides the next fixed pace of 55 mph (88 km/h) however may be boosted as much as 65 mph (105 km/h). The E-Enhance characteristic will solely final for 15 seconds, so riders can be suggested to make use of it correctly in an overtaking state of affairs.
The bikes use a pair of detachable 1.5 kWh battery packs, providing a mixed 3 kWh of capability. That’s even smaller than the troubled SONDORS Metacycle’s 4 kWh battery pack, which has led to criticisms of the bike’s low vary.
With 3 kWh of battery capability on board, Kawasaki says the bikes can obtain 41 miles (66 km) of vary in Street mode with out utilizing the electrical enhance characteristic. There’s no phrase from the corporate on what pace that vary is measured at, however that determine works out to an effectivity of 73 Wh/mile and thus is probably going round 35 mph (56 km/h) of common pace.
The batteries, which weigh 25 lb. (11.4 kg), can every be recharged from a typical wall outlet in underneath 4 hours, or from 20-80% in underneath two hours.
Whereas these costs are available in at round half of a typical Zero or LiveWire electrical bike, in addition they have a lot decrease than half of the efficiency.
That signifies that these Kawasakis are purely urban-oriented bikes. A variety of lower than 40 miles (64 km) in real-world utilization and a high pace of 55 mph (88 km/h) prevents their use on most highways, once more limiting them to native city driving.
However for a lot of metropolis dwellers, that may very well be all that’s obligatory. And with detachable batteries, residence residents can get pleasure from road parking and at-home charging, supplied they will muscle 50 kilos (23 kg) of battery into their constructing.
