Folks, it looks like more and more manufacturers are taking the idea of an electric dirt bike more seriously.
Not too long ago, I talked about how Suzuki seemed to be working on an EV off-roader very similar to that of its existing RMZ motocrosser. Now, Kawasaki seems to be doing pretty much the same thing, as recent patent filings suggest that Team Green is indeed working on a new electric motorcycle. In particular, one that seems to have some degree of off-road capability.
And though the patent doesn’t explicitly state what kind of motorcycle it’s going to end up in, it does present one interesting piece of tech: swappable batteries.
According to the patent filing, the battery packs of the electric motorcycle are detachable. These batteries can then be charged separately via a charger. This means that would-be owners of the electric motorcycle could potentially purchase multiple batteries and simply swap out the depleted ones and go on their way.
In the grand scheme of things, this could hint at bigger battery-swapping initiatives. It’s worth mentioning that Kawasaki is indeed part of the larger battery-swapping consortium which includes member companies such as Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, and even CFMoto.
Even more interestingly, Kawasaki’s electric motorcycle features a “plurality of battery packs.” Presumably, this means that the electric motorcycle can be fitted with more than one battery pack for extended range. This is particularly interesting, as it means that for short trips around town, you could have the option of sticking to just one battery, keeping the bike’s weight down low.
Additionally, Kawasaki’s patent seems to focus on a safety device meant to control the flow of current from the battery packs to the electric motor. It states that an overcurrent coming from the batteries into the electric motor could damage the bike’s electrical components. To address this, it presents a system for battery pack balance control, which ensures optimum current and battery service life.
Judging from the illustrations on the patent, it seems that Kawasaki’s focusing on the inner workings of the electric motorcycle, rather than the bike itself. Nevertheless, Team Green has a wide selection of dual-sport and enduro bikes to choose from should it need a reference model for a future electric dual-sport.
It’s also worth mentioning that Kawasaki already has two production electric motorcycles in the form of the Ninja and Z e-1. And the fact that it didn’t use any of these bikes as a depiction in its latest patent seems to suggest that it’s working on a new bike entirely.
