These days, there's no shortage of electric two-wheelers on the market, especially when it comes to commuters and scooters. Understandably, electric motorcycles of today are low-power, utility-focused machines designed with practicality and efficiency in mind. In such cases, fun and excitement take a back seat. On the other end of the spectrum, however, a lot of new and exciting electric off-roaders have been hitting the scene.
We've talked about Velimotor before, a Chinese manufacturer specializing in electric enduros and off-roaders. The VMX10S we covered previously is an impressive adventure-enduro machine, sort of like an electric evocation of the Honda CRF300 Rally. This time around, Velimotor has introduced an electric enduro bike called the VMX12, and it's designed specifically for technical off-road riding.
Similar in styling to two- and four-stroke enduro bikes, the VMX12 boasts long-travel suspension, a high fender, and 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels. It is, however, powered by an electric motor with a maximum output of 16 horsepower. As for the battery, the VMX12 is rocking a 72-volt, 12-kilowatt-hour lithium battery pack that clams an impressive 75 miles of range on a single charge. Even better still, it takes only two hours for the battery to fully recharge.
Diving a bit deeper into the technology, it's nice to see that Velimotor has put a lot of thought into the performance side of the VMX12. Instead of just slapping on an electric motor and calling it a day, Velimotor fitted a four-speed transmission with an automatic clutch allowing riders to fine tune power delivery when negotiating technical terrain. On the suspension side of the equation, meanwhile, the VMX12 boasts 48-millimeter inverted forks with complete adjustability. The rear monoshock is also preload-adjustable.
As for pricing and availability, the new VMX12 is offered by Velimotor in the UK for 4,595 Pounds, or the equivalent of about $5,796 USD, per current exchange rates.
Sources: Motociclismo, Velimotor