In April, 2022, it was revealed that Chinese motorcycle manufacturer CFMoto was working on an electric version of its Honda Grom-rivaling Papio mini-bike. The Papio in ICE form, is very much like the Honda Grom and Kawasaki Z125 Pro in a sense that it's a sporty mini naked bike designed with fun and easy maneuverability in mind.
Now, with the influx of new electric two-wheelers, especially from Chinese manufacturers, CFMoto has decided to present the production-ready version of the electric Papio, called the Papio Nova, at EICMA 2022. When compared to the prototype model that was leaked earlier in 2022, not much has changed. Furthermore, in comparison to the standard 125cc Papio, the Papio Nova looks very much the same, retaining its diminutive proportions and sporty, edgy bodywork.
The release of the Papio Nova electric naked bike is indeed timely, as CFMoto has also been growing its electric two-wheeler catalog with the release of the Zeeho electric scooter, a model that looks to rival the growing number of electric scooter spreading across Asia and Europe. As for the Papio Nova, it rivals the likes of the new Tromox Ukko AT, and is a 125cc-equivalent electric motorcycle.
Powering the Papio Nova is a centrally mounted electric motor with a peak output of 22 kilowatts, which translates to about 30 horsepower. Now, this is clearly much stronger than a Grom, let alone the standard Papio 125, so expect this electric two-wheeler to be quite a peppy machine. Top speed is limited to 112 kilometers per hour (70 miles per hour), and the sprint from zero to 35 miles per hour takes just 2.3 seconds.
As far as range is concerned, the Papio Nova is packing a 4.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack which CFMoto claims is good for a range of up to 150 kilometers (94 miles) on a single charge. Given these performance and range figures, the Papio Nova is certainly looking to be one of the most capable small electric motorcycles out there. It’ll surely make for a fun and practical city machine, if you’re fine with its mini-bike proportions. Now, CFMoto has yet to release pricing for the Papio Nova, so we’ll be waiting with bated breath for this announcement.
