Kawasaki Working On Electric Motorcycle; Patent Images Leaked

Patent images, that have surfaced on the internet, appear to be Kawasaki’s attempt on a completely electric road motorcycle. It is not the first time the company has worked on an all-electric project. Kawasaki had previously showcased the J-Concept, electric motorcycle, during the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. Since then the company has been working with the electric drives and one of the most concerning aspect was the immense heating issue from the silent motors.

Looking at the images, it seems that Kawasaki has found to solution to overcome the heating issue by incorporating a two-part cooling system with the electric motor. The system makes use of an oil-cooled setup that absorbs the heat radiated by the motor. Thus keeping it in a workable range. Another source of cooling is acquired from the ram-air intake which is directed on the batteries in order to keep temperatures under check.

The heavy electric motor is located at the low-down point between the wheels to concentrate the weight in the middle of the bike and a low centre of gravity. It also comes with a dummy fuel tank while the cooling oil is channelled to flow around the outer casing of the moving parts which is cooled with the help of a radiator. The batteries powering the system are mounted on top of the bike’s layout and help to balance the weight. 

The power and torque figures of the all-electric drive are still unknown. As per reports, expect this setup to make its way to small trucks or all-terrain vehicles in the future. We could also see a hybrid setup where a small petrol-powered engine could be mounted on top of the electric drive for a higher combined output.