Technically Kawasaki has already produced a fully electric motorbike. However, being as the 250W Elektrode provides power assistance “in a mild, predictable way” and is made for three-year-olds, it doesn’t seem wholly misleading to bill the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 BEV as the brand’s first proper foray into electric power.
Motorcycle.com reports that the two bikes are built around the same motor and chassis with the Ninja e-1 coming out slightly heavier at 140kg to the Z e-1’s 135kg – although it’s unclear whether that includes the battery.
Last year Kawasaki joined up with Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha to form Gachaco, a company through which the four will standardise swappable electric batteries for light electric vehicles (LEVs). It’s therefore no surprise to learn that the new models will be powered by two removable battery packs, weighing about 12kg each, offering a combined capacity of 3kWh.
The bikes were originally slated to be powered by 11kW motors, but type approval documentation for Australia suggests that they will in fact be 9kW – unless this merely reflects a difference between maximum and continuous power ratings.
Either way, this would put them in the light motorcycle category in the UK – the same as for 125cc motorbikes – for which you would need an A1 licence.
