NIU RQi electric naked bike finally set for European launch

The NIU RQi has been announced to be arriving in Europe in the first quarter of 2024, meaning it will be arriving on European shores by the end of March.

The NIU RQi is hardly a new motorcycle at this point, having been first unveiled at CES in 2020. But, multiple delays have pushed the bike’s arrival back, and changed its specifications and target audience somewhat, too.

When it was originally revealed in 2020, the RQi was an electric bike with 40bhp and a top speed of approaching 100mph. By now, it has 11kW, or 15bhp, making it ‘yet another 125cc-equivalent electric bike’, on paper at least. 

Removable batteries are becoming an increasingly common feature in small-capacity electrics, so the RQi’s removable pair of energy stores is hardly a distinguishing feature, but it is a feature, nonetheless. Each battery’s capacity, of 2.6kWh, is not exactly earth-shattering, either, but NIU claims a range of 65 miles can be achieved on a single charge. The motorcycle features a battery management system (BMS) to measure temperature, voltage, current, and insulation.

NIU also claims the RQi has the brand’s “fastest computing power ever,” and the electronics suite includes traction control and dual-channel ABS. Further, there are cameras front and rear, and the bike features a halo LED for enhanced visibility. Keyless start and GPS tracking are also included.

Details on the chassis remain light for now. We can see that the bike uses a telescopic front fork and single rear shock, and we know that Brembo provides the braking power and that the tyres are from Pirelli, but that’s about it.

UK pricing is not yet known, but Spanish outlet SoyMotero is reporting a price of €7,999, which equates to around £6,900.

Find all the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.

Lead image credit: NIU Mobility/YouTube.