Electric motorcycles are building steam in the European and Asian markets thanks to their affordability and practicality. In the performance side of the spectrum, EV manufacturers have been working hard to preserve the feeling and experience of a traditional motorcycle. To achieve this, a lot of players have resorted to building sporty, performance-oriented electric motorbikes. One of them is Indian company Oben Electric.
We've talked about Oben's first electric motorcycle, the Rorr, in great detail in the past. However, up until now, the bike remained mostly a concept and prototype. However, now that July has rolled around, Oben Electric has announced that it will be commencing deliveries of the first batch of Oben Rorrs this month. More specifically, eager customers will be getting their hands on their sporty electric motorcycles as early as the first week of July.
Ahead of announcing deliveries of the Rorr, Oben also inaugurated a new experience center in Bangalore. Apart from showrooms that display the latest products, electric motorcycle manufacturers have been putting up these so-called experience centers to give would-be clients a clearer picture of the technology of electric vehicles. Naturally, the technology found in electric motorcycles is vastly different from that of ICE bikes, and it's important to give your clientele an idea of how it all works.
This is no different when it comes to the Oben Rorr. At present, there are more than 21,000 pre-orders, so the waiting list is obviously pretty long. It's clear to see why there's such an interest in the Rorr, as it's one of the few sporty options in the EV motorcycle segment. It's packing a 10-kilowatt IPMSM electric motor that's been developed in-house. With a nominal output of 13.4 horsepower, the Rorr can zoom from zero to 25 miles per hour in just three seconds. Top speed is limited to 62 miles per hour.
With 21 patents to its name, Oben Electric is proud to announce that the Rorr has a 95-percent componen-level localization. This means that 95 percent of all the parts found in the Rorr have been sourced from Indian manufacturers, with a large chunk of these parts developed in-house. The battery, for example, is a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) unit, and is the first to be developed by Oben Electric. Unlike a standard lithium-ion battery pack, LFP batteries offer more recharge cycles, improved heat resistance, and enhanced fast-charging capabilities. According to Oben, it only takes two hours to fully charge this battery.
As mentioned earlier, the waiting list of the Oben Rorr is undoubtedly pretty long, as the company has to fulfill 21,000 existing orders. Nevertheless, the Rorr is priced at Rs 149,999, or about $1,827 USD, making it an extremely attractive offering in India's bustling EV two-wheeler market.
