Husqvarna is determined to not fall behind as motorcycles transition to electric propulsion. The bike maker has reworked its Vitpilen design and adapted it for electrification to show off a new EV concept, the E-Pilen.
The bike is just a concept for now, and there’s still no confirmation that it will be a production model. It’s notable however, because the concept aligns with other small EV bikes possibly on the way, and it even uses swappable batteries.
Husqvarna has shown it’s a strong believer in the longevity of its Pilen bikes. The Svartpilen and Vitpilen were originally announced in a total of four configurations, and either bike is available as a 401 or 701 model, to attract a wider range of riders.
A smaller version recently joined the Husky stable, the Svartpilen 125, and this E-Pilen seems to follow in a similar direction. It’s meant to be a two-wheeler for urban use, with output comparable to that of the new 125cc motorcycle. If the Svartpilen is a small-discplament scrambler you could maybe try to take on fire roads, the E-Pilen is more of an electric Vitpilen to take on city streets.
The E-Pilen will have a range of about 100 km and a power output of 8kW, as you can see from the lettering along its seat. That is a little more than 10 horsepower, four fewer horses than the Svartpilen 125. I suppose the instant torque of its electric drivetrain could make you forget about the power loss, though.
I am very interested to know how much the E-Pilen weighs — and comparing that to the weight of the Svartpilen 125. The Svart is not a lightweight considering its displacement, and I wonder how the bikes will handle relative to each another.
Husqvarna also said that it plans to expand its dealer network, and that may have something to do with weaving a better infrastructure catering to riders on its future EVs. Its network will likely not be as impressive as something from the likes of Gogoro, but it’s still pretty neat to imagine riding into your city’s Husky dealer and swapping out spent batteries for fresh ones.
