KTM E-Duke to head electric range ? By Ben Purvis
KTM is to launch the first of its nextgeneration electric bikes as part of its 2023 model range in a move that will eventually see a battery-powered E- Duke join the line-up . Having learnt from eight years manufacturing the Freeride E , PIERER Mobility , which owns KTM , Husqvarna and GasGas , has plans to become the global market leader in electric bikes from 250 watt power-assisted bicycles up to 15 kW motorcycles . The company has since added the SX-E 5 electric
" aerodynamic lower bodywork "
mini-crosser to its range , and the badge-engineered Husqvarna EE 5 and GasGas MC-E 5 versions , as well as the GasGas TXE electric trials bike - plus a duo of battery-powered balance bikes . Later this year , the Husqvarna Vektorr scooter will be launched as the first Husky-branded product from a project with shareholder Bajaj to create a range of 48 volt electric models , from 4 kW to 10 kW , which will be manufactured in India . However , that ' s just the start : there are several more higher performance electric models under development . The most interesting of these is the planned KTM E-Duke , which has been pictured in a new document outlining KTM ' s plans . Mechanically , the E-Duke will share its components with the upcoming
Husqvarna E-Pilen , which was shown as a concept last year . Features include the same tubular steel frame that will be used on the next generation singlecylinder Duke models . They are yet to be launched , but have been seen on test with this chassis . The E-Pilen and E-Duke will also share the same banana-style , externally braced swingarm that will appear on the next generation of small internal combustion engined Dukes , with a direct-acting monoshock on the righthand side . The E-Duke also shares the same WP forks and five-spoke wheels as the E-Pilen concept , but gets completely different styling . The bodywork is unlike either the E- Pilen or existing Dukes , with much more extensive side panels to help hide the chassis-mounted battery pack that fills the space that would normally be occupied by the fuel tank and the upper part of the engine . The electric motor is mounted in a unit with the single-speed transmission below it . More unusual is a lower bodywork section that extends all the way from the bellypan to the rear wheel , running under the swingarm and wrapping around the lower section of the rear brake rotor . This potentially aids aerodynamics to improve the bike ' s range . In terms of performance , KTM ' s document says the E-Duke will have a ' nominal ' 10 kW ( 13.4 hp ), although that ' s probably a ' continuous ' output , leaving potential for a peak figure that ' s significantly higher . A 5.5 kWh , 48-volt battery pack supplies the electricity , with the production version of the Husqvarna E-Pilen expected to have identical specifications . KTM ' s information says the E-Duke and the E-Pilen will have fixed batteries rather than swappable packs . That ' s a surprise , as the E-Pilen concept featured a trio of removable batteries and KTM is a member of the European Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium with Honda , Yamaha and Piaggio . Together they are aiming to establish
The planned top-of-the-range E-Duke will share most of its components with the upcoming ' Husky ' E-Pilen . a common standard for swappable battery packs , so models from all four manufacturers will be able to use the same parts , replacing them at filling stations when they run flat rather than having to wait for them to recharge . Like the E-Pilen and E-Duke , the Freeride E LV is set to use a 5.5 kWh battery pack , but unlike those machines , it will be a removable unit . There ' s no indication whether the pack
" mix of fixed and removable batteries "
will be interchangeable with those from other manufacturers , but if the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium ' s efforts come to fruition , hopefully it will be a standardised unit - though KTM is calling the battery ' removable ' rather than describing it as ' quick-swap ', which is used to refer to the batteries intended to be used in some other future models . In terms of market position , the Freeride E LV appears to be an endurostyle machine , clearly intended for off-road use , but potentially also street-legal . There appears to be a headlight built into the front number board , and there ' s clearly a side stand , so it ' s not a pure competition motocross model .