Manu Mohan, an automobile design graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, has designed an electric motorcycle, and though his plan wasn’t for a specific brand (as he explains below), it isn’t very far from a Husqvarna Vitpilen when it becomes an electric motorcycle.
The idea behind this project was to envision an electric motorcycle that exudes a clean and classic aesthetic language. It represents a seamless convergence of the old world charm, one that evokes nostalgia, and the state of the art technology, that is mainly aimed at commuting in the city along with the occasional rides through the country roads.
The keyword that inspired the project was the word serenity, a state of calm and peace , a vehicle with the visual appeal and the ride as clean as the electric drivetrain itself. This idea prompted the omission of razor sharp edges and aggressive styling in order to instil a more subtle form with curves and soft character lines. I tried to stay as far away as I could from any specific brand so as to incorporate the form language I envisioned instead of having to stick to a certain brand identity that would restrict the styling exercise
Husqvarna already has an electric motorcycle, EE 5, a motocross type model that is powered by a 907 Wh lithium-ion battery and comes fitted with a 5 kW electric motor. This bike is just the beginning of Husqvarna’s shift to electrified products as plans are underway to have a complete lineup of e-vehicles. It isn’t hard to imagine the complete lineup turning electric by the end of the decade as the low price of batteries, new environmental laws and the technology advancements made in the field of electrical engineering would lead to the phasing out of the combustion engine in two-wheelers and short-distance vehicle applications.
Husqvarna has confirmed it is working on an e-scooter with Bajaj, which will also be available in a performance-oriented version. The new electric scooter is expected to be launched in 2021 and will be based on parts of the Chetak electric scooter with more powerful motor and additional features. The Husqvarna electric scooter (on a 48 volt platform) will come in 3 kW and 11 kW outputs, with the former likely in the ‘Classic’ design form, and the later with completely different paneling and an aggressive character. The scooters will be manufactured in India.
Secondly Husqvarna is working on expanding the ‘Sport E-Minicycles’ vertical with models in the 5 kW, 5 kW+ and 5 kW++ categories to follow. The E-Minicycle is designed for young riders (ages up to 14 years) starting out in the world of dirt biking.
Husqvarna currently has two models in sale in India – Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 – priced at Rs 1.80 lakh ex-showroom.