For most Western folks, motorcycles are fun toys for sunny weekends. They’re usually not considered a serious mode of transport. For the world’s most populous countries and cities, however, the electrification of motorcycles has already ushered in a new era of urban transport that delivers quieter, healthier, safer and more accessible cities.
“‘The physics is very simple: If I’m moving a 75 kilogram person in 1.5 tons of steel, glass, and rubber and you compare that to moving the same person on a 100 kilogram scooter?’ Eccarius said. ‘[That’s] less weight, less energy, and less infrastructure needed. Really, it’s a no brainer. You don’t have to have a Ph.D.’”
Indeed, this is a very interesting thing to consider.
There are still many disadvantages to motorcycles (even EV) that make them dangerous, mainly relating to speed. While I agree that we should electrify our transport, and that we do not need the cost / impact / space of cars, we also need to talk about whether it makes sense to have vehicles that can travel at 150+kph with almost no protection for the rider, or pedestrians, at least in urban areas.
If they can AT LEAST rid the world of the selfish noise of 2-stroke “Harley”-style engines, then we will have taken a step forward
I should note that even Harley Davidson are making electric motorbikes and e-bikes now, which is EVEN MORE interesting because of the blurring of the distinction of electric motorbikes and bicycles which is bound to happen.
If you visit the Harley site they now offer both, not quite side-by-side, but at least linking the brand across both ‘modes’
