That’s correct folks you read the title of this article correct. Electric bikes are coming! KTM AG, Honda, Yamaha and Piaggio sign a letter of intent to create a swappable battery across the motorcycle and light electric vehicles.
We all know our sport is moving to the era of electric as a new sustainable way for the sport and with more and more noise complaints coming in across the world.
Check out the official release below:
KTM AG announces today that the company has signed a Letter of Intent with Honda Motor Co., Ltd, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd and Piaggio & C SpA to set up a Swappable Batteries Consortium for Motorcycles and Light Electric Vehicles.
In the context of the Paris Climate Agreement and the development of electromobility, the founding members of the consortium believe that the availability of a standardized swappable battery system would both promote the widespread use of light electric vehicles and contribute to a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries used in the transport sector.
Also, by extending the range, shortening the charging time and lowering vehicle and infrastructure costs, the manufacturers will try to answer to customers’ main concerns regarding the future of electromobility.
The aim of the Consortium will, therefore, be to define the standardized technical specifications of the swappable battery system for vehicles belonging to the L-category: mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles. By working closely with interested stakeholders and National, European and International standardization bodies, the founding members of the Consortium will be involved in the creation of international technical standards.
The Consortium will start its activity in May 2021. The four founding members encourage all interested stakeholders to join the cooperation to enrich the consortium’s expertise.
Stefan Pierer, KTM AG CEO: “Sustainability is one of the key drivers to the future of mobility and electrification will play a major role in achieving this goal. For powered two-wheelers the constraints of electric drivetrains regarding range, charging time and initial cost are still evident. To overcome these challenges and provide a better customer experience, a swappable battery system based on international technical standards will become a viable solution. Considering the entire lifecycle, a widespread application of batteries compliant with a common standard will support secondary use as well as circular economy. We are glad to be part of the Consortium as we strive towards our goals in the e-mobility sector.”
