Whether you like the idea or not, electric vehicles are now commonplace on our roads. Electric motorcycles, although a few years behind their four-wheeled brethren, are becoming more and more popular too, with Honda and Kawasaki set to join the EV bandwagon in 2023, as consumers look to vehicles with zero exhaust emissions, and which are cheaper to run.
But what bikes are out there now? If you’re thinking of switching to electric in 2023, here are five to consider…
Super Soco TC Max
The Super Soco TC Max was one of our favourite small commuter motorcycles of 2022.
In many ways it’s the perfect electric motorcycle. It’s an A1 category machine, making it eligible to be ridden by learners after they’ve completed their compulsory basic training (CBT) and that easy accessibility is one of the TC Max’s biggest strengths.
It’s light and with a low seat height (albeit perhaps a little too low for the taller rider) and, like most electric motorcycles, is super easy to ride thanks to the linear power delivery and the lack of clutch and gears.
Performance and price are in line with most 125cc petrol machines, with a near 60mph top speed, and the batteries can be removed and recharged through a regular three-pin plug socket, making it super practical and cheap to run.
NIU RQi Sport
Like Super Soco, NIU is a Chinese brand which is disrupting the small motorcycle marketplace.
Up to now they have focussed on scooters, like the MQi GT Evo we reviewed last year, but their first motorcycle is set to drop in the next few months. Called the RQi Sport, it’s an A1 licence machine (sometimes known informally as a 125 equivalent), and promises even more performance and spec than the Soco.
Like the TC Max, it will feature removable batteries and can be charged through a regular socket. If it rides as good as the spec sheet suggests, the NIU RQi Sport should be one heck of a small electric motorcycle.
Zero DSR/X
Californian company Zero Motorcycles long been described as the two-wheeled equivalent to Tesla. They’ve been the market leaders in large electric motorbikes for over a decade, and their latest offering is the best yet.
Described as an ‘adventure sport’ motorcycle, the DSR/X is the electric equivalent of a BMW GS. The £24k price tag might put some off, as will the fact that it will need recharging in around a hundred miles, but if it fits in with your lifestyle then there is plenty to admire about the Zero.
The instant electric power delivery and huge torque (225Nm, delivered instantly) creates a hit completely different to any petrol bike you’ve ever ridden, and while the lack of gears and engine noise (it does generate a futuristic whoosh though) might sound soulless to some, it really does need to be experienced to be believed.
Forget the ‘electric’ tag, the Zero DSR/X is just a very fine motorcycle. One which will surely change many bikers’ perception of EVs for the better.
Energica Experia
The Zero DSR/X’s main electric competition comes from Energica who, like Zero, are another electric-only motorcycle manufacturer.
The Italian brand has been well known for its electric superbikes, which were being used in MotoE World Cup until the end of last season, but now they’ve branched into what they call ‘adventure touring’ with the Experia.
It carries a £26k price tag but comes well-specced with a new motor and a 22.5kWh battery pack – the largest on the market today – and it also comes with CCS charging capability, which gives the ability to recharge up to 80% in 40 minutes on one of the rapid chargers.
Maeving RM-1
Back to commuting by electric motorbike and the funky British designed and made Maeving RM-1.
Of all the bikes we tested in 2022, few turned heads as much as the Maeving. Like the Super Soco we praised at the beginning of this feature, the Maeving is super light and super easy to ride. It’s also got a pair of removable Samsung batteries and can be ridden by learners after doing their CBT.
It looks amazing and the quality of finish belies the £5k price tag. The only fly in the ointment is the performance, or rather lack of it. The rear wheel mounted Bosch motor provides plenty of acceleration to nip in and out of the traffic, although the 45mph top speed does limit its capabilities on the open road.
Not forgetting…
Kawasaki are set to join the electric set in 2023 with a pair of learner legal machines.
Not too much is known about them technically, or in terms of price, but in keeping with their petrol-powered bikes the duo will come in unfaired ‘Z’ and faired ‘Ninja’ variants. We expect a small 3kWh battery, which will keep the weight and price down at the expense of range, with a 70mph-ish top speed and the sort of seamless acceleration we’ve come to expect from electric motorbikes.
