Royal Enfield’s Future Includes Electric Motorcycles Says CEO

• Last year the company had disclosed that it was working on an electric bike platform.
• The electric motorcycle was being developed by Royal Enfield’s technology centre in the UK.
• Royal Enfield might showcase an electric motorcycle concept at EICMA next year.

Royal Enfield has been looking at making electric motorcycles for a while now. Last year, the bikemaker had disclosed that a small team was working on an electric motorcycle platform at its UK technology centre. Given the long development time, we hope to see a Royal Enfield electric concept motorcycle at EICMA next year.  Electric motorcycles are part of Royal Enfield 2.0 strategy for the future. 

This plan was revealed by Royal Enfield’s new CEO Vinod Dasari to ET Auto. It includes developing new products and electric vehicles. Royal Enfield will also take a new approach to manufacturing. Instead of having a few large-capacity manufacturing facilities, it will set up small-scale assembly plants outside India. It will take the same approach for its dealerships. The bikemaker has over 500 small studio stores across the country set up over the past six months and each one sells an average of 12-15 motorcycles per month. Royal Enfield will focus on opening more studio stores like this.

 International markets are also part of Royal Enfield’s 2.0 strategy and the bikemaker is looking at expanding its global reach and developing its digital platform.

Coming to new models, Royal Enfield has showcased its Concept KX with a V-twin motor at EICMA in 2017. Surprisingly the motorcycle was missing at the Royal Enfield stall at EICMA this year. We would see something on the Concept KX platform at EICMA next year. It already has tasted success with its Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins so we can expect new models on that platform as well. Then there is the upcoming BS6 transition which will see a new engine platform. The new engine capacity is rumoured to be between the current 350cc and 500cc motors. New Classic and Thunderbird models with the new engine platform have already been spotted. 

 Stay tuned for more developments on Royal Enfield’s electric bike.