Kawasaki Ninja 300 To Go Green, Literally!
- by Praveen M
- Apr 18, 2019
- | Views: 8472
Patent images of what appears to be an electric version of the Ninja 300 have surfaced online
- The patent images indicate that the motorcycle will have swappable Li-ion batteries.
- Hinges on the frame allow it to be opened on one side.
- Patent images also show a rack mechanism which makes it easier to swap batteries.
Electric motorcycles are slowly, but steadily gaining momentum these days. Even the big four Japanese brands have agreed to form a consortium to standardise swappable battery tech. And now, patent images of what appears to be an electric variant of the Kawasaki Ninja 300 have surfaced online.
Also Read: 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS: Performance Test Review
The patent images reveal a large Li-ion battery pack nestled inside the frame, along with an electric motor located near the bike’s centre of gravity. Going by the size of the battery pack, expect a healthy range for the sporty motorcycle. Also, thanks to the hinges on the frame, it can be opened on one side. This allows one to remove the battery pack easily. Moreover, there also appears to be a rack of sorts which will facilitate easy battery swapping, with minimal effort. The motor transfers the power to the rear wheel via a chain drive.
While most of the manufacturers adopt a top-down approach in developing new electric vehicles, it’s interesting to see Kawasaki experimenting on battery tech with one of its entry-level motorcycles. When you think about it, the economies of scale for this type of product really does make sense in developed markets. With battery tech and EV development costs going down steadily, it seems like Kawasaki is banking on the expected boom in demand for entry-level electric motorcycles. So, even though purists may scoff at the idea of a silent Ninja, it might just work in the brand’s favour, business-wise. Swappable battery tech also virtually eliminates downtime.