Royal Enfield: The world is not ready for electric Himalayan

Royal Enfield believes the world is not ready for electric touring motorcycles and has no plans for a production version of its electric Himalayan. 

The admission arrived as the company launched its Flying Flea sub-brand for small-capacity electric motorcycles at a pre-EICMA event in Milan. 

Due for launch in 2026, the Flying Flea C6 retro roadster is aimed at what Royal Enfield calls the City+ segment – that is, one step above inner-city commuters. 

Also revealed at EICMA was the second version of its electric Himalayan Test Bed adventure bike, or Himi-E. But Royal Enfield insists the electric Himalayan is for research purposes only, and that there will be no production version anytime soon. 

“There is no point coming out with something we know is a very low chance of success,” said Eicher Motors CEO Siddhartha Lal. “We think the market is ready for this (Flying Flea) but not for the Himalayan.”

Royal Enfield has been exploring electric for more than six years, but its plans gathered steam in late 2022 when it purchased a large stake in the Barcelona-based electric motocross company, Stark Future. 

“The only one we wanted to work with was Stark,” said Lal. “Because we said, in premium bikes, the only one we think will have a real future is a good motocross bike. A touring bike? No, the world isn’t ready for an electric touring bike.” 

But Royal Enfield isn’t drawing a complete line through the electric Himalayan just yet and will continue to evolve the Test Bed year by year. 

“Let’s just enjoy it, let’s keep evolving it, and when the time’s right, we won’t need much time to then come out with something like that,” said Lal. “Every year we’re doing a full new iteration of the electric test bed, so hopefully next year it will evolve again.

“And that driveline can be used for other motorcycles as well. It doesn’t have to be used only for the Himalayan.”

Now in its second iteration, the Himalayan Test Bed is powered by the Stark Varg powertrain and two Varg battery packs used as stressed members in a bespoke frame and power distribution system. 

Compared to the first version, Royal Enfield says the Test Bed now has 30 per cent more useable range and more than double the daily range. It also produces two-times more power and achieves four-times faster charge rates, while the bike is also 3 per cent lighter. 

Other features of the electric Himalayan include ride modes, hill-hold, descent control, reversing, a docked smartphone as a key, gauge, and navigator, and electronically adjustable suspension.