THE BRADLEY REPORT
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THE BRADLEY REPORT
NEWS
BRIEFS
Energica has announced ' MyWays ' as a new dealer in Luxembourg . The government in Luxembourg is funding the construction of 672 additional charging points for electric cars , 44 of which are fast chargers , with more than € 4.5m . In Latvia , Energica has signed Rock Distribution ( Sigulda ) as its new importer . Latvia ' s power network distributor and other state institutions have plans to develop more than 2,000 public electric vehicle recharge points nationwide . In Austria , Energica has signed Projekt31 2Rad GmbH ( Strasshof ) as a new dealer . Revenue in the Electric Vehicles market in Austria is projected to reach € 4.50bn in 2023 and is expected to show an annual growth rate ( 2023-2027 ) of 23.57 %, resulting in a projected market volume of € 10.49bn by 2027 . In France , Energica has signed Stand41 ( located in Blois , Centre-Val de Loire ) as a new dealer . Centre-Val de Loire is developing a strong emission reduction strategy , with over 6,000 public charging points planned by 2025 .
Seven Automakers are uniting to create a leading high-powered charging network across North America . BMW , GM , Honda , Hyundai , Kia , Mercedes- Benz and Stellantis will create an " unprecedented new charging network joint venture that will significantly expand access to highpowered charging in North America ". The stated target is to install at least 30,000 high-powered charge points in urban and highway locations using renewable energy " to ensure customers can charge whenever and wherever they need . With a focus on delivering an elevated customer experience , the network will provide reliability , high-powered charging capability , digital integration , appealing locations , various amenities while charging ". The network will be accessible to all EV customers , offering both Combined Charging System ( CCS ) and North American Charging Standard ( NACS ) connectors . The first stations are scheduled to open in the summer of 2024 . According to the U . S . Department of Energy , as of July 2023 , there are 32,000 publicly available DC fast chargers in the United States for use by 2.3 million electric vehicles , a ratio of 72 vehicles per charger . The NREL ( National Renewable Energy Laboratory ) estimates that 182,000 DC fast chargers will be needed to support 30-42 million plug-in vehicles expected on the road by 2030 . U . S . electric vehicle sales are expected to exceed 50 % of total U . S . sales by 2030 .
Norton V4CR in production
By Ben Purvis
Only a year after rescuing the remains of Norton from bankruptcy in 2020 , its new Indian owners - TVS - bankrolled a naked Café Racer concept based on the company ' s 1200 cc V4 superbike . Now that machine is in production with 200 examples set to reach customers over the coming months . Called the V4CR , the Café Racer might borrow its engine and chassis from the V4SV superbike , making it a relatively straightforward creation , but TVS discovered that the superbike itself required a huge amount of reengineering to be sure of reliability , so it ' s taken until now to get into production . That reengineering dropped the V4 engine ' s power from 200 hp to 185 hp , a figure that ' s carried over from the V4SV to the V4CR , but it still hasn ' t resulted in Euro 5 emissions certification . The low volume nature of the bike ' s production , at least for now , means it ' s easier for Norton to use Single Vehicle Approval rules in the UK , allowing bikes to be individually approved for use , instead of applying for full type-approval . The emissions limits are much more relaxed under this regime , avoiding the need to comply with Euro 5 . That means the majority of the 200 examples of the V4CR are expected to
Kawasaki hasn ' t sold a bike under the ' Eliminator ' name in years , but for 2024 it ' s back with a brand-new 451 cc parallel twin that takes the fight directly to Honda ' s Rebel 500 . The Eliminator was unveiled earlier this year in Japan as a 400 cc model , sharing its engine with the Z400 and Ninja 400 , but for the rest of the world there ' s a more substantial change as its engine grows to 451 cc , making it a closer match to the 471 cc Rebel . For Europe , the new bike importantly slides straight into the ' A2 ' licence category , limited to 35 kW / 47 hp , with an output of 33.4 kW ( 44.8 hp ). That ' s actually a fraction less than the Z400 and Ninja 400 manage , but it ' s due to a lower compression ratio and a tune that focuses on mid-range torque rather than outright power . The Eliminator ' s styling is very clearly aimed at the Rebel , with an ultra-low seat that ' s just 735 mm off the ground to make it appealing to shorter riders . It ' s surprisingly light , too , at only 176
find buyers in the UK , but since Norton is still in a ' ramping-up ' stage , this might be beneficial at the moment . Future versions of the V4 are likely to need Euro 5 certification to allow access to wider markets . As far as specifications go , the V4CR ' s 185 horses arrive at 12,000 rpm , with 125 Nm of torque at 9,000 rpm , pushing a machine that weighs in at 204 kg , including a full 15-litre tank of fuel . The engine sits in an aluminium frame , TIG-welded by hand and equipped with Öhlins suspension - NIX30 forks and TTXGP shock - and Brembo monobloc brakes . Electronics include lean-sensitive traction control , an up / down quickshifter with autoblipper , and three riding modes .
Kawasaki Eliminator returns By Ben Purvis
kg for the base model or 178 kg for the higher-spec SE version . The proportions are arguably better than the Rebel ' s , with a smoother transition from seat to fuel tank and a more conventional 18-inch front wheel and 16-inch rear , where the Honda has 16-inch rims at both ends . The forks are simple 41 mm units , raked at 30 degrees , and there are twin rear shocks - simple stuff , but all that ' s really needed on a bike like this . On board , you get a dash with smartphone
There ' s also keyless ignition and a sixinch TFT dash , plus full LED lighting . Buyers spending £ 41,999 ( roughly € 49,000 /$ 55,000 ) on the V4CR will have to choose between two versions . The Manx Platinum option includes silver paint and forged alloy OZ Racing Piega wheels , while the Carbon model has bare carbon fibre bodywork and BST Rapidtek rims made of the same material . Yes , you could get more performance for far less money - just buy a Ducati Streetfighter V4 or an Aprilia Tuono V4 for a similar recipe at a lower price - but recent successes of high-priced , low-volume bikes suggest Norton won ' t have too much trouble finding 200 customers for the V4CR .
connectivity , and all the lights are LEDs , but there ' s not much else in terms of luxury . The SE model adds a small headlight cowl , a bar-mounted USB-C socket , two-tone paint , fork gaiters and a different seat design , but it doesn ' t feature the front and rear riderecording cameras that are fitted to the Japanese market Eliminator SE . The advent of the 451 cc parallel twin is likely to be a clue to the changes we can expect on future generations of Z400 and Ninja 400 , too .
30 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2023 www . idnmag . com