New light electric motorcycle shows affordable prices are tantalizingly close

Despite their many advantages, beginner and mid-level electric motorcycles designed for suburban riding are still frustratingly rare and even more frustratingly expensive. But with the release of the new Bravo GLE electric motorcycle, we may be seeing the first trickle in an upcoming wave of affordable electric motorcycles.

Ebroh Bravo GLE electric motorcycle launched

Spanish electric mobility company Ebroh has recently launched its newest electric two-wheeler.

The Bravo GLE is a 125-cc equivalent electric motorcycle with a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph) and a 5kW rear hub motor.

The naked bike’s 5.4kWh lithium-ion battery is rated for a range of 100 km (62 miles).

Sporting a trellis frame and upright handlebars, the Bravo GLE is available in red, black, or blue.

Braking in the front is accomplished with a pair of dual piston calipers biting down on dual rotors, while the rear gets a single piston caliper as part of the Combined Braking System (CBS).

But perhaps the best part of the bike is the price: just €4,490 (US$4,840). And that price even includes Europe’s VAT.

While the Bravo GLE is certainly well-positioned as a beginner electric motorcycle for urban and suburban riding (or short jaunts in the slow lane on the highway), it is the price that is most promising to me, which I’ll explain in my take below.

Electrek’s Take

So here’s the deal: These types of beginner electric motorcycles are critical for building new riders that are opening up to the idea of commuting on a vehicle that is both more efficient and more fun.

The more people that switch from cars to these types of vehicles, the better our cities will be, and that’s a fact. Replacing cars with electric motorcycles improves air quality and traffic while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and freeing up more space to make increasingly dense cities less congested.

The problem has been pricing. The best example of a beginner electric motorcycle (that isn’t limited to city-only speeds) is probably the Zero FXS. And while I love that bike, it costs between $8.5-$10.5k, which is just too much for widespread adoption right now.

On the other hand, there is a wave of these smaller Chinese electric motorcycles on the way to Europe and the US right now, but no one knows how much they’ll eventually cost. If the Bravo GLE is any indication, we could see very affordable prices for bikes like the VOGE ER 10 and street-legal version of the Sur Ron Storm Bee. And while they certainly don’t compare in performance to a 120+ mph Zero SR/F or Energica, we’re talking about completely different bikes designed for completely different purposes.

The Bravo GLE is priced at under $5k even with European VAT. Shipping these types of Asian-import electric motorcycles to the US (and getting the requisite homologation) may add a bit to the price, but those additions could also be offset by the lack of US VAT.

As much as I love a nice CAKE Kalk INK SL, it’s a tougher sell at $10.5k compared to a bike like this for half the price yet with more battery and range.

So while we don’t yet have many options like the Bravo GLE in the US, their expansion across the EU shows that it is only a matter of time before these beginner electric motorcycles become available in the US with prices that are as enticing as the bikes themselves.

via: EMN