Kawasaki has unveiled a brand new hybrid bike and it is set for a global launch next year i.e. 2024; Christened the Ninja 7 HEV, it will be powered by a 451cc engine paired to an electric motor
Kawasaki, the Japanese bike manufacturer is currently working on a slew of fully electric as well as hybrid motorcycles. Recently, the company announced the launch of its first electric motorcycle line-up, the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 which are slated for launch very soon. In the latest development, a new proper hybrid motorcycle has been revealed by the Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer and it is the same bike which was recently spotted for the first time during a TVS shoot in Italy.
Earlier, some reports suggested that the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 7 would be revealed at the 2023 EICMA, however, Kawasaki has taken us by surprise and showcased the HEV bike in full flesh along with revealing its technical details. Let’s take a look at the green machine which is also the first hybrid motorcycle in the world.
To begin with, the hybrid bike’s design is in line with its petrol counterparts and it is very difficult to differentiate it from the lot. Typical Kawasaki styling bits like a split headlight setup accompanied by a transparent visor, hefty yet muscular fuel tank, sharp body line and a typical sporty split seat.
Taking a close look, the bike looks fairly large in terms of dimensions, much like the other litre class motorcycle from the Japanese bike manufacturer. In addition to this, the bike is sporting a metallic matte silver paint scheme with some hints of lime green colour lower down.
The powertrain of the Kawasaki Ninja HEV hybrid bike is constituted by a 451cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine paired to a 9 kW electric motor which draws power from a 48V lithium-ion battery. The power output is rated at 58 bhp and it can go up to 68.5 bhp with the e-boost function. With the Ninja 7, Kawasaki has claimed the performance to be at par with a 1000cc supersport bike while delivering the fuel economy of a 250cc class machine.
The Kawasaki hybrid motorcycle first debuted at the EICMA 2022 which was a part of the brand’s carbon neutrality plan. The launch timeline of the Ninja 7 is set for January 2024 in the European market. Currently, there are no launch plans for these environment-friendly bikes in India and we don’t expect Kawasaki to bring them into the country anytime soon.