E-Speed and Freeride E: KTM's New Electric Motorcycles

KTM is one of the most famous off-road motorcycles manufacturers in the world. This company, founded in 1934 in the Austrian city of Mattighofen, Austria, has a long and rich tradition of making some of the best off-road bikes. They make various types of motorcycles designed for off-road driving, including motocross bikes, cross-country bikes, enduro bikes and dual-sport bikes. They are all powerful, high-performance bikes, and most of them are race bikes, but there are some KTM models that are street-legal. Now it seems like KTM is looking to get into the electric motorcycles market with two new models, that are very different from everything else they've done so far. It's the E-Speed scooter and the Freeride E bike.

E-Speed Electric Scooter

The E-Speed is a concept scooter that was recently unveiled by KTM at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show. Scooters have never had great performances, and they don't offer anything extraordinary in the looks department, either. This scooter is something completely different from the rest of the scooters we are used to seeing. It's powered by a 11-kWh electric motor, producing 14 horsepower and 26 lb-ft of torque. There is a 4.36-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, that you can charge in only 2 hours using a 220 V outlet. It can go 37 miles per one charge, and it has a 53 mph top speed. Although it only weighs 308 pounds, it is heavier than most scooters. It's excellent for urban traffic, as it has single-sided swing arms and WP suspension, along with ABS brakes, so it has great, stable handling. As it's a fully electric motorcycle, it doesn't emit any CO2, and it produces no engine noise whatsoever.

This is a very interesting, cool bike, with a sporty, edgy look, that's very similar to the more powerful scooters that people were buying up to now, from performances perspective. It's still only a concept, but it should go into production pretty soon.

Freeride E

Unlike the E-Speed, the Freeride E is a high-performing motorcycle, and is one of the few electric off-road bikes. It's electric motor provides 30 horsepower and 31 lb-ft of torque. You can ride it for 40 minutes until you have to recharge it, which is acceptable, since it's designed to participate in motocross races, and they last no more than half an hour. It takes 90 minutes to fully charge the battery. It features a steel-aluminum composite frame, and it only weighs 209 pounds. This electric bike can be yours for $12,900.