Royal Enfield has taken a big step away from its heritage to revisit one of its biggest heritage — yes, you read that right. From being known for its long-distance touring ability to a motorcycle that has an electric motor, designed for the city and a little beyond that. I’m speaking about the Royal Enfield Flying Flea — the all-electric Royal Enfield … or is it?
Electric vehicles are the new and Royal Enfield says that there are customers who do not want to deal with a clutch, gearbox, or the thump. Yes, the iconic thump. In the process of creating such a motorcycle, the company revisited it past and reimagined an iconic motorcycle and what it would have looked like if it was still in production — the Flying Flea.
Having started as a startup within the company — the world’s oldest motorcycle company in continuous production — the team has got it right so far — the design, size, and appeal. However, the motorcycle has moved far away from being a wrench-friendly machine to a software-defined vehicle. Yes, you read that right as well.
Speaking to RE’s Chief Growth Officer for its electric vehicle division, Mario Alvisi, says that there is a customer base who want a quiet motorcycle without all the hassles of a traditional ICE engine. However, there is a small catch. Royal Enfield is ready with a product, the customers want such a product, but the infrastructure doesn’t allow it — not yet.
The Flying Flea is a separate brand by itself and has no connection with the electric Himalayan that was showcased at EICMA. The electric Himalayan is on a separate Himalayan test bed, while the Flying Flea is a stand-alone brand by itself. That said, addressing the range and the electric powertrain, Alvisi says that with the current infrastructure, a commuter and a bike that can a bit more is the right way to approach the market.
“The future will see developments in technology and the infrastructure, so the market will be ready for electric motorcycles with longer range and quicker recharge intervals — the ecosystem is not there yet,” says RE’s Chief Growth Officer.
The all-electric Flying Flea is what the company calls a City+ bike — it’s ideal for the city and can do a bit more. The launch is expected within a year and the motorcycle packs a lot in terms of tech, such as a processor from Qualcomm, girder forks, a neatly hidden rear suspension, skinny wheels, a TFT instrument console with all the fancy connectivity options, and more. Alvisi says it’s a marriage between heritage and modern day.
Alvisi says that the bike is built to communicate with the rider and with nannies such as lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, the motorcycle not only keeps the rider safe, but also communicates as to how to improve riding and get the maximum efficiency from the battery pack.
