Electric two-wheelers are becoming increasingly popular, with more people around the world hopping on the trend. As a result, there are now more electric two-wheeler options available, from both new and established manufacturers, than ever before. Oben is one of those new players in the game. The company was founded by IIT Kharagpur and IIM Bangalore Alumni, India's best business and technology-focused universities, in August 2020.
With that, the business has announced its plans to release the Rorr, its first all-electric motorcycle. The company's flagship model will be the Oben Rorr, expected to be a premium, performance-oriented machine. The bike's technical specifications have not been released, although it is likely to have a top speed of 60 miles per hour. In addition, the bike is said to be capable of going from zero to 25 miles per hour in around three seconds. Oben claims that charging this bike for two hours will give it a range of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles).
Oben Electric co-founder, Dinkar Agrawal, stated that venture capital funding initiatives have brought the company's vision of releasing electric two-wheelers to reality. In a report by Motoroids, Agrawal was quoted saying, “We have raised a total of $2.5 million through VC funding, which is the highest seed round raised by an E2W startup. This helps us innovate with a focus on consumer safety and delight. Our aim is to enable Indian consumers to make the shift from ICE to EV. Over the next few years, we intend to be a global player with our specialized products.”
It's clear to see why the Oben Rorr has such potential to gain popularity, especially in India and neighboring Asian regions. Its styling, akin to that of high-performance naked bikes, is certainly a huge selling point. Its side profile, in fact, reminds me of the BMW F 900 R. Its performance, however, is more like a 125cc machine, though. This isn't to say that it doesn't have its niche. It will certainly make for a fun and zippy commuter around the urban jungle. It could even serve as an attractive A1-compliant, beginner-friendly electric two-wheeler in Europe. That said, the Oben Rorr is expected to launch in India in April or May 2022.
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Sources: HT Auto, Motorrad Online