KTM's electric dream
By TMX Archives on 30th Oct 08
Austrian giant unveils exciting new Zero Emission Enduro project
KTM, the hugely successful Austrian motorcycle manufacturer, has revealed the prototype of a ready-to-race Sport Enduro powered by a silent electric motor, the result of a cooperative research project with arsenal research. The zero emission motorcycle is light, sporty and powerful, built to comply with the KTM sport-oriented, racing philosophy. The expertise of arsenal research involves the complete drive system from the battery, the electric motor and the entire development process.
As in all KTM sports motorcycles, it is fitted throughout with highest quality vehicle components, the result of the company's decades of experience and continued dominance in off-road sports.
Next to maximum performance and range, the most important goal in developing the first emission-free KTM Enduro was to produce the lightest possible motorcycle. In addition, much attention was paid to integrating all the well-known and positive riding characteristics of a conventional KTM Sport Enduro into a completely new concept. Thanks to the intelligent control technology and the most up-to-date energy management, the 90 kg prototype has a performance that rivals a light Enduro with a combustion engine. The zero emission motorcycle completely does away with familiar motorcycle
components such as exhaust, tank, air box and clutch utilising the most up-to-date battery and electric motor technology.
Following promising tests and the insights gained from the cooperation with arsenal research, the decision was made to make the transition from the pure research project for the zero emission prototype to a development project for a series machine. KTM places the
highest priority on the introduction of a sustainable emission-free electro motorcycle and will continue to intensify its development partnership with arsenal research.
Said DI Harald Plöckinger, Board Member of KTM Power Sports AG, "As an innovative and market leading company, KTM must also take up the task of testing out and developing new engine formats for our sports motorcycles. The concept of the zero emission motorcycle combines the well known KTM competence with new and highly interesting motor technology.
"With an emission-free motorcycle we see a big opportunity to make Enduro sport available to a broader and completely new target group in the medium and long term by giving them access to a completely new trend sport. With a motorcycle like the KTM Zero Emission Motorcycle there can be attractive riding possibilities in the future, also in densely populated areas, without coming into conflict with existing restrictions. Testing with the first prototype today already reveals the big potential of this cooperative development project with arsenal research.”