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Kawasaki EV Endeavor electric motorcycle

New model name and fresh short videos

EICMA 2019

Green has always played an important role at Kawasaki. Patent applications from 2019 showed Kawasaki is also dealing with "green" Electric drives. A first prototype was then at the EICMA. Now there is a new model name: EV Endeavor.

E.A patent application is never a guarantee that the patented technology will eventually come into production. At least such patents leave room for speculation, as in the case of Kawasaki, who had a battery swap system protected, as a patent that first appeared in April 2019 shows.

Kawasaki

This patent specification showed a motorcycle in the format of the Ninja 300/400 with a tubular space frame that can be opened to the side so that the entire battery unit can be exchanged. For this purpose, the left-hand frame part was designed so that it can be completely removed between the steering head and swing arm bearing. The complete battery pack can then be docked and lifted using a special slide that is pushed under the motorcycle. The electric motor itself sits underneath and remains in the vehicle.

Kawasaki

The battery pack is lifted out of the vehicle and replaced by a charged pack in the same way. Derived from this concept, Kawasaki seems to be thinking about a replaceable battery system when it comes to electric motorcycles, which can bring relaxation when it comes to charging times. The built-in battery pack can also be charged in the built-in form.

Kawasaki had previously had a liquid-cooled electric drive protected.

Ram-Air for cooling

In order to achieve their optimal performance, drives need a certain temperature working window, which is similar to electric and combustion engines. The temperature balance can be regulated particularly well via liquid cooling. This is exactly where the Kawasaki patent comes in.

Kawasaki

The motor-gear unit is cooled by oil.

The patent shows a conventionally designed motorcycle that accommodates battery packs under a dummy fuel tank and between the main frame tubes. The electric motor and a gear unit sit underneath.

While the Kawasaki patent provides for air cooling for the batteries, which supplies the energy stores with cooling airstream past the steering head via a kind of ram air throat, the motor-gearbox unit is bathed in cooling oil. A suitably large oil cooler sits in front of the unit.

Prototype at EICMA 2019

The Kawasaki electric motorcycle then became more specific at EICMA 2019, where the Japanese exhibited a prototype. But that happened without much tam-tam. The prototype of a rolling chassis, dubbed EV Project, was on the booth without any further information. At the time, however, the Japanese emphasized that the prototype, which has been developed since 2000, was fully drivable and had already completed a number of tests on racetracks and public roads in Japan – videos that were subsequently published confirmed these statements. The built-in electric motor should offer a continuous output of 10 kW and a peak output of 20 kW. Kawasaki puts the range at around 100 kilometers. But they don’t want to give out detailed information.

Jorg Kunstle

Nevertheless, some features can be clearly seen on the prototype. The final drive takes place via a conventional chain. Upstream is a four-speed transmission. The battery pack sits above the engine, directly behind it the CHAdeMO charging socket and other sockets for other systems. Another noticeable feature is a thumb brake on the left end of the handlebar, which can be used to influence recuperation. A large LCD display functions as the cockpit.

Mona pekarek

Model name EV Endeavor

At the end of April 2020, Kawasaki confirmed the new model name. The electric motorcycle of the Greens goes by the name EV Endeavor. However, it is unclear whether this is the final designation of a potential series model. Apart from that, -Kawasaki publishes new short videos about the new Elektro-Kawa on the official YouTube channel from time to time. There are currently five short videos that we have cut for you on the YouTube channel. Five more will follow, probably on a monthly basis.

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