Images of an electric Royal Enfield Classic 500 have
been doing rounds on the internet. The bike was spotted at a Royal Enfield
dealership in Thailand.
From the image, it is evident that the base bike is
a Royal Enfield Classic 500, Classic Black colour variant. The frame is
modified to accommodate the large battery pack, and features metal casing on
the side for protection. The sub-frame comes with a luggage rack in place of
the pillion seat. The chain is replaced with a belt-drive.
At the rear, they have replaced the suspension with
a pair of aftermarket gas-charged shock absorbers. The rear wheel also comes
with a disc in place of the stock 153 mm drum unit. Another unique feature is
the fully digital instrument cluster, which is likely to display remaining
range, apart from the usual set of information. There is no word on the
technical specifications of the motorcycle. For reference, the standard bike
makes 27.2 bhp and 41.3 Nm from its 499 cc single cylinder engine with fuel
injection.
It is unlikely that the bike is an official test
mule from the brand. However, Royal Enfield is not shying away from developing
an electric motorcycle and will do so in due course of time. In Thailand, the
stock Royal Enfield Classic 500 costs THB 189,800, including VAT.
