News – Electric motorcycles: rolling – finally! – for KTM Freeride E – Used KTM

Electric motorcycles: rolling – finally! – for KTM Freeride E

News - Electric motorcycles: rolling - finally! - for KTM Freeride E - Used KTM

Scheduled for early 2011, the arrival of the Freeride E finally took place last month in France in the first E-Park KTM, based in the suburbs of Paris. The electric KTM is available there for testing, pending its marketing scheduled for late 2014.

In early 2010, KTM presented at the Tokyo Motor Show its: an enduro model and a supermotard model. Quiet and non-polluting – in situ! -, these future machines were supposed to represent the future of "motorcycle leisure"…

Four years later, the Freeride E is finally available … for testing (!) In the very first French KTM E-Park which is located in Pouilly-le-Fort (77), 45 minutes from Paris at motorbike, 1h30 by car, two days by RER, a week by train, etc..

"The E-Park is an association linked to the Moto Club of Senart of which I am the president", tells us Philippe Souquière, also in charge of the all-terrain leisure center "MXland" and owner of the land on which the thermal machines operate. . and electric !

KTM electric scooter on break

While the first arrive in the BMW dealerships, where is the, whose release was scheduled for next year? "For the moment, this project is on standby. We have no more information immediately, answers the president of KTM France … To be continued on MNC: stay tuned !

"We have been here for eleven years and we are closely monitoring electricity," continues the owner. "Personally, I was not the first to drive electric, but I am one of the precursors".

Just like Gregory Lefort, KTM distributor in Melun and partner of the E-Park in Senart: "as soon as I had the opportunity to open an E-Park in France, I went for it: I wanted to be the first," says he. "I believe a lot in electric, especially in certain fields like urban motorcycles or off-road near cities … I think it’s the future".

Since May 8, three Freeride E joined the five Etricks of the (E!) Rental park. "The Etricks are electric two-wheelers that come from Nîmes (designed and manufactured in Europe by the SEV brand), halfway between the bike and the motorcycle: it jumps everywhere, children love it and adults too ! "exclaims Philippe Souquière.

On the Katoche, on the other hand, it is not yet a question of playing crazy on their handlebars: "we offer an initiation course of 510 meters which is used to discover Freeride E", tempers our interlocutor..

"We are currently working on an enduro course for electric KTMs and we are even considering a cross country terrain, it is to be seen" … To be seen depending on the finances, because the leisure sector is down … and not just gasoline !

"I have friends who run kart tracks or tree climbing and we are all struggling at the moment", testifies Philippe Souquière questioned by Site. "The problem with electrics is that it’s still expensive … and also that customers would like to eat caviar for the price of lump eggs!"

30 euros for 10 minutes on weekends, 28 euros on weekdays: the rental of an Electric Mechanical Orange is not "given" – otherwise we would call it a loan! -, because the price of the machine itself is high.

"The price has not yet been set," informs Eric Antunes, president of KTM France. However, "the Freeride E should (note the conditional, Editor’s note) be marketed in the last quarter of 2014 for the unapproved SX model. An XC approved version will also be available at the same time.".

“I have customers who already want to buy them, Philippe Souquière assures us.“ Like all of them, they were amazed, super surprised by the maneuverability of the bike and the engine performance. You have to try it to understand. Unfortunately, the French are less open to electricity and to new energies than are the Germans, Austrians, Swedes, Dutch, etc. "

KTM dealers who will soon offer their electric motorcycles are warned: to adopt this type of machine, nothing beats a test. KTM France is convinced of this and is delighted with the upcoming opening of two other E-Parks "in the town of Ribeauville (68) and on the Pôle Mecanique d’Ales (30". Business to follow on MNC)…

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