Upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan Electric Motorcycle Spied Testing At Ladakh
Today when you think of an electric Royal Enfield motorcycle, you'd think 'Flying Flea'. The manufacturer announced it as its dedicated electric vehicle (EV) vertical. The first product to be expected from this sub-brand is the production form of the C6 (FF.C6). More electric motorcycles are to be expected from the manufacturer, one of which would be based on the Himalayan ADV. An early prototype of this- the HIM.E was showcased previously at the EICMA 2023. Now it looks like this motorcycle is nearing production, and has been spotted on test.
Reports suggest that the production version of the HIM.E could be called the 'Himalayan Electric' when launched. The newest spy shots of this motorcycle are from Ladakh. The bike was spotted undergoing test with minimal camouflage.
New Spy Shots vs HIM.E: Tracing The Evolution
Before we delve into the details, the HIM.E was a crude prototype. The Royal Enfield Himalayan has been a cornerstone in India's ADV space. The HIM.E had a minimal design, which interestingly was a mix of that of the previous generation motorcycle and that of the 450.
The HIM.E had is battery pack mounted as a structural member. The swingarm pivot on the concept looked like half of the Omega’ frame found on the Yamaha GTS1000. An all-new Aluminium swingarm is connected to the rear of this. The suspension setup on the concept was from Ohlins, which offered long travels at both ends. It had radially-mounted Nissin callipers to handle braking duties.
Coming to the production-ready form of the Himalayan Electric, a lot seems to have changed, mostly for good. A lot of the prototype's niggles have been ironed out. You can, however, see exposed welds on some parts of its swingarm. The main frame and sub-frame have been made out of Aluminium.
Like on the prototype, the production-spec seems to have its battery and motor as stressed members. Like on the previous generation Himalayan and the outgoing 450, the Himalayan Electric also has numerous Aluminium luggage mounts at the front. There are Aluminium heel plates and off-road pegs as well.
The battery case on the test mule is made of Aluminium and comes with an interesting texture. The design at large takes a ‘function over form’ approach. We also get to see a single-piece seat, a tall windscreen and all-LED lighting. Interestingly, there is no front beak. The tail lamp cluster resembles that of the Himalayan 450.
The mule also has spoked wheels and knobby tyres (Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross). The images show a single petal disc brake setup at both ends, with Nissin callipers- much like the HIM.E.
Most components on the motorcycle appear to be of premium quality. One of the mules had a braced handlebar with Renthal brace pad. The handlebars accommodate the brake fluid reservoirs.
Another thing to spot on the test bike is a large, sophisticated ECUMASTER dashboard- likely a 7-inch unit, mounted on a tower unit. This type of mounting is usually seen on rally bikes. The suspension on the production-ready bike consists of fully-adjustable USD telescopic front forks and an adjustable rear mono-shock- by Ohlins.
Long story short, the production-ready Himalayan Electric seems to have evolved well. It has travelled quite far from the rudimentary HIM.E showbike on almost all fronts.
No Word Yet From Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield top brass has remained tight-lipped about the electric Himalayan, since the concept's EICMA debut. Even today, we lack clarity on the possible launch timeline for the product or its performance ceiling. The best guess would be that it could come with a performance that outsmarts that of the Himalayan 450...
Image Source: Rushlane