This is the Indian startup eco-system's gift to the world. A motorcycle in the newfound electric business that has being brimmed with bells and whistles not found on any other production bike. Emflux Motors is entering with tall claims of having a 125 mph superbike that runs on electricity for up to 100 miles at full range. And if you go full-blown-track-mode, expect a range of around 50 miles.
Called the "Emflux One", it was unveiled at a recently concluded Indian Auto Expo and is aiming at the premium market that caters to the mid-weight motorcycle segment. The company has been working on their superbike for just over a couple of years, unlike other startups that have taken more than half a decade to develop their products.
Run by 25 employees, the Bengaluru based startup company, Emflux, started testing their technologies on a KTM RC39 chassis setup initially. Multiple funding and developments later, they came up with the concept model having an all-electric powertrain that uses a liquid-cooled AC induction motor to produce 50kW. Equivalent to a 600cc petrol-powered motorcycle.
Peak power is rated at around 70 hp and 61 lb-ft of max torque. All this torque comes at zero rpm that will dash the 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds. Now that is superbike territory for sure. Torque keeps hitting hard all the way up to 125 mph top speed. (The current Zero SR makes lesser torque, top speed and takes longer to hit 62 mph from standstill).
The air-cooled battery pack includes SDi lithium-ion batteries supplied by Samsung that will power for a total of 100 miles in a single charge (at highway speeds of 50 miles per hour). The batteries also support quick charge called the “WARP Charger” that will provide 80 percent charge in just 35 minutes, and a full charge in three hours from a standard wall charger unit. The battery also comes with a five year/62,000 mile warranty.
Top-spec equipment comes courtesy Ohlins (43mm USD at the front and 46mm monoshock at the rear) and Brembo (dual 300mm discs bit by quad-piston radially-mounted calipers in front and a single 220mm disk paired with a dual caliper in back). Single sided rear swing-arm gets bolted on tubular steel trellis frame designed in-house. Continental’s custom configured dual channel ABS comes with regenerative braking.
The bodywork sees tons of changes when compared to the concept model. Multiple lines and angles do look confusing a bit like it was designed on a lazy Sunday evening in a hurry to be presented first thing on Monday. But it all works aerodynamically. The angular dummy-tank houses the battery pack, and this I have a problem with.
Keeping the center of gravity as low as possible should be a significant principle while designing a track going superbike. But it seems like the folks at Emflux might have missed this one this time. The batteries accumulate major weight of the 370 lb bike, and it is right on top of everything else. But all handling disputes can only be thwarted when the bike is ridden extensively.
The bike will come standard with lightweight fiberglass fairings, but the company will swap them with carbon-fiber if you have a little more cash to spare. Even the standard cast wheels can be upgraded to forged alloy units for a price.
A 7” TFT display gives you navigation, real-time bike dynamics, bike-to-bike communication and tethers to your phone via Bluetooth for music and calls. A smartphone app allows the rider to access the bike’s diagnostic tool remotely. Full Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G system enables software upgrades via the cloud.
A park/walk assist function will allow the Model One to crawl forward or backward at 2 mph at a push of a button. And finally, two inbuilt cameras feed the instrumentation with viewing access to the rider at all times. All of this is designed around an NVIDIA Jetson TK1 brain – a device designed to assist drones and other compact devices in machine learning and a custom-designed Emflux NEXT user interface.
Pricing is set at ₹6 lakh ($9,350) for the fiberglass body and cast wheels. For carbon-fiber and forged alloy, the price is set at ₹11 lakh ($17,150). This will make Emflux a crazy catch if everything it claims is to be true: 125 mph, in-built action cameras, AI brain, etc. Emflux looks to set up fast-charging units across India and Europe in phases, and only 199 units will be made for the Indian market, and 300 will be exported.
