Electric dreamers | 10 Electric Motorcycles that might just spark enthusiasm

The electric revolution is underway and - shock! - it is here to stay as an increasing number of manufacturers turn their attention towards a fresh range of alternatively powered models fuelled with a plug, rather than a petrol pump.

Anyone with an eye on the four-wheel industry will have noticed the rapid increase in electric vehicles currently out on the road, with around 1 in 4 new four-wheel models heading out of the dealerships doing so with some form of electric powertrain.

By contrast, the motorcycle industry is still playing catch up, with only 5% of new PTW (powered two-wheelers) sold in 2021 being an EV, with the vast majority of these low-capacity equivalent scooters.

So, in short, electric motorcycle sales are as flat as a low battery as bikers shun the notion of motorcycles without the roar, the gears and the rumble… for now, anyway.

But for the rest who prioritise urban usability, frugalness and the wider environment, quality - as well as quantity - in this segment is rising. But which on sale now - or coming very soon - make the most convincing case?

You may also want to check out our Best Electric Motorcycles article.

LiveWire ONE

Having ventured so far left of field with the launch of the LiveWire in 2019 it ended up off the West Coast, Harley-Davidson has now decided to turn the nameplate into a sub-brand all of its own in an attempt to forge its own image and path. Or, in other words, distance itself from its parent company, where a predominant range of big, beefy and (comparatively) thirsty motorcycles don't exactly align in terms of brand ethos.

It won't be an easy task, however, with the original LiveWire - now known as the ONE - becoming a rare sight on our roads and selling below expectations with buyers put off by the eye-watering £28,995 price tag, the humdrum styling and dynamics that don't exactly set pulses racing.

Indeed, while we take our hats off to Harley-Davidson for being the first to have a go, even recuperated running costs can't justify an initial outlay over better quality and more accomplished conventionally powered rivals like the Yamaha MT-09 and Kawasaki Z900.

Then again, EV technology is advancing at an extraordinary rate, with Harley confident it can apply this to some many learned lessons with its second offering, the LiveWire Del Mar...

LiveWire Del Mar

If the LiveWire ONE was the iPod, then Harley-Davidson is hoping the brand-new LiveWire Del Mar is the iPhone that will transform its electric dreams.

With the ONE proving too big, too expensive and too ordinary to woo the younger generation of buyer Harley had been targeting, the smaller, funkier LiveWire Del Mar hits more of the right notes with its trendy flat track fusion design and greater affordability at an estimated £19,000.

OK, so that’s not cheap for what is still a fairly small motorcycle but the Del Mar does come with a new generation Arrow platform with a range of 100 miles and 60kW of power - that’s 80bhp to you and me - which should hold considerably more appeal.

Zero SR/F

While the big manufacturers are still getting their head around how to tackle the new age of electric, some plucky start-ups like America’s Zero Motorcycles are already veritable veterans

Hitting the road back in 2010 when electric transportation still had a whiff of the Jetsons about it, it has stuck to its guns and steadily increased its range, the most convincing of which is the Zero SR/F roadster

It’s not the most exciting model to look at, but it rides comfortably, is more powerful, has better range and at £21,440, it is significantly cheaper than the LiveWire ONE it rivals. There is even a sportsbike variant - the Zero SR/S - though it's slab-sided looks don't make it terribly attractive

That’s not the best bit though. Say, you want your Zero to go faster? Or go further? Or regenerate more energy? 

Well, there is literally an app for that and it is called the Cypher, which allows you to tweak your motorcycle’s settings just after you’ve ordered your Deliveroo and complete your Wordle.

No matter your view of electric motorcycles, you have to admit that’s pretty trick…

BMW CE.04

They call it the Silent Revolution - which sounds like an oxymoron to us - but either way, the BMW CE.04 is the German firm’s big and certainly bold attempt at replicating the success of its four-wheel electric cars on two wheels.

If the revolution is quiet, then the same cannot be said for the design, which sees BMW evoke the wackiness that brought us the comically awful C1 with its gawky roof with a look that we can’t decide is either achingly cool or worryingly reminiscent of motorised Dyson.

If you are wooed by the design then you should be impressed too with the 31 kilo watt powertrain - around 42bhp - and a claimed range of 80 miles… or about two-thirds of the M25.

It’s not cheap at £11,700 but no other scooter will turn as many heads… if you like that sort of thing.

Energica Ego

Who says electric and sportsbikes don’t go hand in hand? Well… many people actually. Not Energica though. The Italian firm has spent years attempting to prove electric power is an advantage when it comes to tucked in, full throttle performance.

It’s a mindset that has led to this, the Energica Ego, a premium sportsbike with voltage coursing through its Italian racing bloodline. 

With its 21.5 kilo watt battery platform, the Ego can hit 0-62 in just 2.6secs and has a range of 260 miles from the equivalent of 169bhp.

If you’re a fan of all things MotoGP, then the Ego will be familiar as the electric sportsbike of choice for the MotoE World Cup, a fast and frenetic - if eerily quiet - championship that proves action-packed motorsport can have a conscience.

But! If you’re not sold on the Ego, then Energica also offers the Eva roadster, while both will soon be joined by this…

Energica Experia

…the all-new Experia, Energica’s latest attempt to dismiss the idea that electric power means compromise.

Pitched as a Sports Tourer to rival the Yamaha Tracer, the Experia accepts the challenge of proving you can travel long distances on a single charge, while being kinder to the environment on the way.

It comes with an 100bhp equivalent 22.5 kilo watt battery that it says is capable of munching as many as 240 miles to help ease those inevitable anxieties that come with using electric to cover long distances.

With a lighter battery and different weight distribution, Energica has even managed to develop the Experia to tackle mixed terrains, while the styling - though a touch bland - does a good job of shrouding that hefty power pack underneath.

During our recent test at the Experia's world premiere launch in the Dolomites, we found it to be sportier to ride than you might expect and offer up class-leading refinement and practicality. However, at £28,000, it's still a hefty premium over the likes of the Yamaha Tracer 9 and Honda NT 1100, so do some number crunching to find out if it will really be better value in the long term.

Kymco RevoNEX

And now for something a little… different

This is the Kymco RevoNEX. It’s not on sale yet but it is coming soon… and it’s doing so with some rather nifty party tricks up its sleeve.

Having built its reputation on scooters, Kymco is using an electric platform to develop its new range of ‘big bikes’, which will be spearheaded by this sharp-looking middleweight roadster.

While the finer details of the model will be revealed when it gets closer to full production, what we do know is that the RevoNEX will tackle some of the more vocal complaints levelled at electric motorcycles.

Firstly, the RevoNEX is fitted with a multi-speed transmission in an effort to give it more of a raw, mechanical feel rather than just a linear line of torque. 

Kymco also wants to get rid of that whining noise in favour of a pre-installed conventional engine-like soundtrack to sync up with your riding. 

It sounds like a gimmick - literally, it literally sounds like a gimmick - but whatever you think, the RevoNEX certainly challenges the electric STERO-type… see what I did there… oh never mind.

Damon HyperSport

Is this going to be the Tesla of motorcycles to transform your perception of electric on two wheels.

We’ve been eager to throw a leg over the Damon HyperSport since it was first revealed in 2019 boasting some, well, boastful figures that don’t mess about. 

Damon insists this electric sportsbike in flagship trim with a 20kW battery, can produce 200bhp of power, hit a 200mph top speed and still complete 200 miles on a full charge.

It’s a smart cookie too with its 360-degree Co-Pilot adaptive radar cruise control, AI that is actively learning and updating the software in real-time, not to mention the much simpler adjustable Shift handlebars and footpegs to adapt the riding position.

Throw in the fact it looks pretty sharp and we have to admit the Damon HyperSport and limited edition Hyperfighter naked version has sparked our curiosity…

Arc Vector

Now, if you’re thinking electric motorcycles are just a bit too expensive to consider at the moment, you may want to look away now. 

This is the Arc Vector and right there on its price tag is the figure £90,000. No, that's not a typo.

If you're fortunate enough to describe your income as 'very disposable' then shelling out nearly six-figures for the Arc Vector will get you a proper statement of a motorcycle that won’t just turn heads, but probably give people whiplash doing so.

The Vector justifies its eye-popping price with some very premium features, such as carbon-fibre materials, plus front swing-arm suspension and hub-centre steering.

There is even a ‘human machine interface’ with a jacket containing haptic feedback warnings, plus a helmet with a heads-up display if you're partial to a gizmo or two.

However, while the Vector looks quick, it actually isn't with a modest 95kW the equivalent of 127 horsepower, while the top speed is limited to 124mph.

But if you’re forking out £90,000 for a motorcycle that looks like this, you can’t go too fast if you’re showing it off…

Ducati MotoE

OK, so we’re cheating a little bit here because unless you are a rider with racing talent then for the time being this sporty little electric number isn’t to buy.

This is the brand-new Ducati MotoE bike, which will take over from Energica as the bike of choice for the 2023 MotoE World Cup.

Unlike the Ego it is replacing, this is a ‘from the ground up’ prototype being honed for maximum performance from volts rather than fossil fuels. 

A chance to imagine what an electric Ducati Panigale might look like in the future, while we don’t know exactly how rapid this is, it can keep up with a Ducati GP22 off the line for longer than you might expect.

Bravissimo!