In a recent interview, Stefan Pierer unveiled some info about Husqvarna’s upcoming electric motorcycle, the E-Pilen
A few months earlier, it was confirmed that Husqvarna is planning to build an electric motorcycle, christened the ‘E-Pilen’. The manufacturing of this upcoming e-bike will be handled by Bajaj Auto, at its Chakan plant, and it is expected to debut by 2022. Now new information regarding the motorcycle’s specifications has been revealed.
In an interview with Motoringworld.in, Stefan Pierer, CEO, Pierer Industrie AG (Husqvarna’s parent company), stated that KTM and Bajaj have jointly developed 4 kW and 8/10 kW (both 48V) electric motors, for use in their electric two-wheelers. The 4 kW motor is already being used in the Bajaj Chetak, and could also be seen on the upcoming KTM/Husqvarna electric scooter.
However, for the ‘E-Pilen’, the companies have decided to use a 48V 15kW ‘powerpack’ setup instead. Previously, a high voltage powertrain was also being considered, but the costs associated with it would’ve made the product too expensive. Also, Pierer stated that people look for high mileage in this segment, which is why this setup was chosen.
Interestingly, ‘powerpack’ is the term KTM uses for its removable batteries, currently available on the FREERIDE E-XC dirtbike. The battery pack can easily be swapped, reportedly in less time than it takes to refuel a bike! Seems like the upcoming electric husky could get swappable batteries as well, which should increase its practicality.
In a presentation, released online a while back, Pierer Industrie AG showcased a rough sketch of the upcoming Husqvarna E-Pilen. The motorcycle had the same overall design as the Vitpilen and Swatpilen 250, but with a few changes. It had four-spoke alloy wheels, knuckle guards, and a side-mounted rear monoshock. We’re not sure how many of these design details would make it into the production though.
A 15 kW output from the electric motor translates to around 20 HP, which will make the motorcycle a rough competitor to 200cc motorcycles. As for the pricing, nothing has been revealed yet, and considering that the launch is slated for 2022, we might not get any concrete details until late next year.