When you’re named after a bear, you'd better swing like one too. Well, this German electric motocrosser certainly looks able to take on its gas-powered foes, boasting high torque, light weight, and nimble handling.
Plenty of electric enduro bikes have been popping up recently. Segway’s Dakar-tested electric enduro, the $3,250 AMP Moto RR and the Dust Moto Hightail are just a few we’ve covered in the past. Add the Grizzlar EMX30 to that list.
Grizzlar is a German mobility start-up with a focus on design, simulation, and small series production. The goal of the company is to cut time-to-market drastically. The EMX30 is a development project that looks to "set new standards in e-motocross" with a "sustainable design," a "unique driving experience," and a "groundbreaking torque," per the company’s managing director.
The EMX30 is a low-voltage electric motocrosser that comes with 30 kW of power (around 40 horsepower) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. Sure, its power figures are more modest than those of the Stark Varg. It still does incredibly well at meeting the performance standards for the adult MX1 and MX2 racing classes, which are predominantly flooded with 250 to 450cc motorcycles.
But if you know anything about motocross, it’s the fact that weight is far more significant than performance numbers in sports enduro. For an electric bike with a battery this big, the Grizzlar EMX30 is surprisingly light, at a reported 253.5 lb (115 kg).
It comes with a manual transmission with two gears, which is unusual for an electric motorcycle. But this means it has a big advantage, especially at the start of the race. Add to this fact its 48 volts of operating voltage, which essentially means reduced costs for safe handling and maintenance.
It gets a battery with a capacity of just over 6 kWh – meaning it's generously large for this kind of bike. It runs on lithium-ion cells (type 21700), which require one to two hours to charge from 0 to 100%. Now, even though the battery pack in itself is interchangeable, it isn’t what you call a quick-release battery.
Because of its low-voltage design, the bike's motor produces high currents that cause significant heat production. Therefore, it gets a dedicated water-cooling system which transfers the extra heat to a radiator in the back frame. But there's a major drawback to this setup – it's tough to ensure there's enough airflow while protecting the motor from the harsh motocross conditions.
With precisely calculated components for the bolted composite frame, the Grizzlar EMX30's chassis is clearly designed for races. You get electronic power delivery and engine braking, in addition to mechanical components in the steering head area.
The aluminum rear swingarm with shock absorber and the upside-down fork, both of which have sufficiently lengthy suspension travel, as well as the wire-spoke wheels with Excel rims and disc brakes, are all trademark components of the sport enduro segment.
With at least 1,000 pre-orders planned, the Grizzlar EMX30 is priced at €12,995 as a kit, which is around US$14,000. That’s not to say that it will be priced as such for the USA. First and foremost, the electric enduro isn't road-legal, and secondly, we don't even know if it will even make its way Stateside.
As for being MX-ready, the path ahead is still unclear. Traditional motorsports continue to be opposed to the use of electric bikes. There’s no denying their performance potential, but for now, bikes like these will be limited to non-competition trail riding. How sad.
Source: Grizzlar
