Electric motorcycles are not uncommon anymore and almost all the major bike manufacturers have already announced an impending transition to EVs. That being said, we seldom see a newcomer in the industry attempting to make an electric motorcycle from the ground up. Even fewer actually make it to production. Switch Motorcycles now aims to change that with its ¡®eScrambler¡¯.
Unveiling the first ever EV under the its banner, Switch Motorcycles has unveiled the eScrambler prototype that sports a retro but surprisingly futuristic design. Started by Shanghai-based Matthew Waddick who has been building street-legal electric customs for years now, the company comes as the first ever attempt by the man to launch a production model.
As for the eScrambler, Matthew roped in a former Yamaha Japan designer named Michel Riis. The idea was to come up with an electric motorcycle similar to the Shanghai Customs¡¯ eTracker concept but with better performance specs.
So the team attempted to achieve some performance numbers with the eScrambler. A top speed of 150 kmph, a range of 150 km as well as an acceleration of 0 to 100 kmph in 3.2 seconds. Now if you are aware of what the other electric motorcycles in the market offer, you would know that these numbers are mighty Impressive for a newfound company to achieve.
The major challenge, however, was posed by the design of the bike. A combination of performance with a unique styling and a low cost production is what every OEM desires but is equally difficult to achieve. A look at the bike and we can see that Michel Riis has nearly perfected the mix here.
The tank of the eScrambler, for instance, has a dual purpose on the bike. Apart from providing a retro theme to the vehicle, it also houses most of the electrical wiring of the bike to give it a neat look on the outside.
As for the battery on the eScrambler, an 11kWh of battery made of Panasonic battery cells backs a ¡®mid drive¡¯ motor with an output of 50kW, promising a good burst of speed upon a throttle.
Other interesting highlights include a 18-inch aluminum KTM rims at both the front and the back, KTM forks to match the central mono shock, three speed modes, integrated wi-fi, built-in GPS tracking, digital display, cruise control, USB phone charging, and more.
The bike still has a long way to come to production. Due in 2022, it is yet to have an ABS system installed as well as deliver the required power output for the promised 0 to 100 kmph in 3.2 seconds.