Electric motorcycles are here, and they’re here to stay. This is a reality that seems difficult to come to terms with, but is one that the global motorcycle industry is embracing with open arms. As we already know, a lot of countries have goals of phasing out gas engines completely in little over a decade, and so manufacturers are incentivized more than ever to produce electric vehicles.
There are quite a number of exciting prospects in the electric motorcycle market, especially for folks like me who prefer performance-oriented machines as opposed to commuter-focused scooters. While powerful electric motorcycles with performance equivalent to 650cc to 700cc motorcycles are far and few in between, there have been a bunch of new 125cc-equivalent sportbikes and naked bikes launched in the market. This naturally means that more powerful electric powertrains are being developed, and it’s only a matter of time until we see electric motorcycles get a lot faster and more affordable, too.
While we’re at the topic of 125cc-equivalent electric motorcycles, Chinese manufacturer Yadea recently unveiled its latest naked bike called the Keeness VFD. Despite being into the electric motorcycle business since 2001, it’s only now that Yadea has veered away from scooters and presented us with something sportier. From a styling standpoint, the Keeness isn’t exactly all that special, in a sense that it’s pretty much just like all other modern naked bikes in the market, with its pointy lines and angular bodywork.
From a performance perspective, the Yadea Keeness gets a mid-mounted electric motor that’s capable of producing a peak power output of 10 kW, or approximately 13.4 horsepower. Torque figures stand at a hefty claim of 280 Nm or 206.5 ft-lbs. As for range, we’re looking at 140 kilometers (87 miles) on a single charge, thanks to two removable lithium-ion battery packs. Combined, the battery packs weigh in at 14 kilograms and have a total capacity of 4.6 kWh. Just like most street bikes, the Keeness rolls on 17-inch wheels on both ends, and gets a five-inch LCD display to keep the rider informed of pertinent info.
Yadea is expected to release the Keeness to the market early on in 2023, however, pricing has yet to be revealed.
