KTM boss doubts the future of electric motorcycles
In an interview with Motociclismo, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer expresses serious doubts about the rise of electric motorcycles. A surprising announcement as the Austrian manufacturer is one of the most active in this field with the Freeride E…
In an interview with, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer expresses serious doubts about the rise of electric motorcycles. A surprising announcement as the Austrian manufacturer is one of the most active in this field with the Freeride E…
KTM removes fingers from the socket ?
Presented as the ideal alternative to the constraints of noise and pollution, the first electric all-terrain KTM has since been desired … Initially planned for the, the output of this motorcycle of 30 hp and 42 Nm of torque is regularly postponed then that it nevertheless occupies a good place in the communication strategy of the Orange brand (read in particular).
However, it could be that these postponements are linked to an unexpected change of approach concerning the electric and its virtues: questioned by our Italian colleagues of, the big boss of Katoche admitted to harbor doubts concerning the development of the electric two-wheeler…
Admitting that he does not see "great prospects" for this sector due to the lack of performance and the high cost of current batteries, the also expressed serious reservations about the safety offered by the latest generation lithium-ion battery packs..
"Lithium batteries can represent a danger in the event of an accident: they can cause an explosion", explains Stefan Pierer, referring to the serious overheating problems of the lithium batteries used by the aviation giant to support his claim.
2000 € the battery !
Finally, the leader of KTM points to another concern: the still too high cost of the batteries, which according to him constitutes a currently prohibitive obstacle to the popularization of the electric two-wheeler..
"Our electric motorcycle (the Freeride E) is ready, functional and developed. But its battery costs 2000 euros: that’s too much", deplores – rightly – Stefan Pierer.
Because to facilitate and encourage the transition between thermal and electric, KTM planned to market its Freeride E at "a price roughly equivalent to that of a normal KTM off-road motorcycle", we certified. .
This position seems naturally difficult to maintain with an energy source alone worth nearly a third of an equivalent "thermal" motorcycle: as an indication, a KTM 125 EXC is currently displayed at € 7,190 in the !
And with its 9.5 liter tank, the small Orange two-stroke enduro offers a greater range of action than the "45 to 60 minutes" of autonomy announced for the Freeride E. Not to mention the practicality of the thing: the battery would currently require an hour and a half of recharging (and a plug!), while a tank of gasoline with an easily transportable jerrycan takes only five minutes…
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