Kawasaki has displayed its EV Project electric bike at the EICMA motorcycle show as the Japanese company gears up for the coming electric revolution.
The prototype electric features gears and a chain rather than direct drive or twist-and-go throttle like many other electrics.
Electric project
This official video from the company shows the work they have put into the project.
They say it is mainly proof of their technology and intentions, but have not announced any timeline for a production bike.
It’s been a long-time project for the green team.
Back in 2013, Kawasaki filed a patent for an electric version of its baby Ninja, but the patent has only been published this year.
The drawings showed the battery and motor to the left of the motorcycle to demonstrate how it can be pulled from the tubular frame of the machine.
That seems strange because only the battery would need to be replaced, although it would make maintenance on the motor easier.
That’s also strange as motor maintenance is not an issue with electric vehicles. They tend to be long-lasting and have low maintenance requirements.
However, it is believed the four Japanese companies are working on standardising electric motorcycles and probably batteries so they can be easily swapped when flat rather than waiting a long time to charge them up.
In 2015, Kawasaki filed patents in the US for as many as 10 electric motorcycle designs.
In other Kawasaki patent filing for electric motorcycles, one has a substantial cooling element with a radiator.
Electric Kawasaki Ninja patent drawingHeat is one of the biggest impediments to performance and battery life.
The oil-and-liquid cooling system in the Kawasaki patent drawings are certainly more substantial than we have seen on any other electric motorcycle so far.
That would not only provide more range, but also greater performance.