Motorcycles

Budget electric motorcycle packs radar, dashcams, and a ton of torque

Budget electric motorcycle packs radar, dashcams, and a ton of torque
Ultraviolette's latest offering packs a ton of tech and plenty of torque at a surprisingly accessible price point
Ultraviolette's latest offering packs a ton of tech and plenty of torque at a surprisingly accessible price point
View 11 Images
Ultraviolette's latest offering packs a ton of tech and plenty of torque at a surprisingly accessible price point
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Ultraviolette's latest offering packs a ton of tech and plenty of torque at a surprisingly accessible price point
The X-47 blends comfortable ergonomics with Ultraviolette's signature aviation-inspired styling
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The X-47 blends comfortable ergonomics with Ultraviolette's signature aviation-inspired styling
The X-47 can also be had in this Desert Wing variant, and outfitted with accessories like panniers and knuckle guards
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The X-47 can also be had in this Desert Wing variant, and outfitted with accessories like panniers and knuckle guards
The X-47 comes in three colorways, and the Stellar White sure looks stunning
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The X-47 comes in three colorways, and the Stellar White sure looks stunning
The X-47 is certainly a looker – and with its upright riding triangle and long range, it's sensible too
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The X-47 is certainly a looker – and with its upright riding triangle and long range, it's sensible too
The X-47 gets dual dashcams built in, along with a park assist feature – unheard of this price range
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The X-47 gets dual dashcams built in, along with a park assist feature – unheard of this price range
Ultraviolette's gone with a cast aluminum subframe for added strength on the X-47 – enabling it to comfortably lug panniers
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Ultraviolette's gone with a cast aluminum subframe for added strength on the X-47 – enabling it to comfortably lug panniers
Visual alerts in your rear view mirror can help you avoid collisions
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Visual alerts in your rear view mirror can help you avoid collisions
With 200 miles of range, the X-47 makes for a good choice for weekend rides with no planned destination
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With 200 miles of range, the X-47 makes for a good choice for weekend rides with no planned destination
With a powerful charger integrated into the chassis, the X-47 negates the need to lug a 4-lb brick around to juice up
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With a powerful charger integrated into the chassis, the X-47 negates the need to lug a 4-lb brick around to juice up
You can kit out this bike with an optional 2.5-inch touchscreen that sits above the main dashboard
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You can kit out this bike with an optional 2.5-inch touchscreen that sits above the main dashboard
View gallery - 11 images

Indian electric motorcycle upstart Ultraviolette has just unveiled the X-47, a versatile tourer and commuter with a raft of tech features, comfy ergonomics, seriously impressive range, and an ungodly 450 lb.ft (610 Nm) of torque for a spirited ride.

What might be more impressive though, is just how many usable features the brand's been able to fit into this bike that comes in at a price comparable to entry-level 400cc enthusiast machines which offer a lot less for the money. It's pretty easy on the eyes too.

Ultraviolette says the X-47 has been designed with maneuverability and athletic styling in mind; on the ergonomics front, the riding triangle is fairly upright. That should make for a more approachable experience compared to the previous F77 with its low clip-on handlebars.

The X-47 is certainly a looker – and with its upright riding triangle and long range, it's sensible too
The X-47 is certainly a looker – and with its upright riding triangle and long range, it's sensible too

If you're familiar with this marque, you probably know it's big on tech, with ride customization on board and a connected app to see ride insights. Ultraviolette's taken things up a few notches this time around, by adding a 77-GHz rear radar with a large tracking cone to spot other vehicles coming at you within a 650-ft (200-m) range.

Visual alerts in your rear view mirror can help you avoid collisions
Visual alerts in your rear view mirror can help you avoid collisions

That enables a host of features to increase your spatial awareness and deliver potential collision alerts:

  • Rear collision warning: activates blinking rear hazard lamps to alert the driver behind you when it notices you're traveling at different speeds and are at the risk of a crash.
  • Blind spot detection.
  • Overtake alert: lets you know via a light on your rear-view mirror if someone's coming up behind you.
  • Lane change assist: tells you if it's safe to switch lanes without encountering other vehicles.

The system can also adjust its tracking to a narrow lane, which can come in handy on India's cramped roads. We've seen tech like this from Bosch for two-wheelers over the last year, but it's previously only been made available on bikes from Ducati and KTM that can cost a whole lot more – and this will be available as standard across all X-47 variants.

There's also an integrated dual dashcam system, which pairs with a secondary 2.5-inch touchscreen display to deliver 1080p footage on demand. It will also begin recording automatically in the event of a crash, and help you park or get out of tight spots with the rear-facing camera.

The X-47 gets dual dashcams built in, along with a park assist feature – unheard of this price range
The X-47 gets dual dashcams built in, along with a park assist feature – unheard of this price range

The X-47 comes with a digitally controlled charger built into its chassis. This negates the need to lug a 4-lb (2-kg) brick around to juice up your bike; just a cable will do. Ultraviolette says the 1.6-kW unit can handle power fluctuation and voltage surges, both of which are all too common in India.

Ultraviolette's gone with a cast aluminum subframe for added strength on the X-47 – enabling it to comfortably lug panniers
Ultraviolette's gone with a cast aluminum subframe for added strength on the X-47 – enabling it to comfortably lug panniers

That huge torque figure should help the X-47 make light work of overtakes. With 40 hp on tap, it can go from 0-37 mph (0-60 km/h) in just 2.7 seconds, and 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) in 8.1 seconds. The latter isn't particularly impressive, given that Zero's SR/F has less than a third of the torque and makes it in under 4 seconds. I suspect there's some conservative India-specific tuning to blame here.

The bike will do a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h), and its IDC range is a commendable 200 miles (323 km). Between that and the upright ergonomics, this could be a good choice for long weekend rides beyond city limits.

The X-47 blends comfortable ergonomics with Ultraviolette's signature aviation-inspired styling
The X-47 blends comfortable ergonomics with Ultraviolette's signature aviation-inspired styling

In India, the X-47 is competitively priced at ₹274,000 (US$3,104). That's comparable to what you'd pay for a basic petrol-powered ride with a similar amount of power, like Triumph's Speed 400. It will likely become available across European markets in the near future, though we don't know just when yet.

The X-47 can also be had in this Desert Wing variant, and outfitted with accessories like panniers and knuckle guards
The X-47 can also be had in this Desert Wing variant, and outfitted with accessories like panniers and knuckle guards

Given the price difference with Ultraviolette's previous model, the F77, I'd expect this to come in around the £8,000 (US$10,800) price point in the UK and elsewhere beyond India. Even at that figure, it's a compelling option if you're looking for a high-tech freedom machine.

See the X-47 and its special Desert Wing variant on Ultraviolette's India site.

View gallery - 11 images
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