There was plenty of new production machinery on show at the ABR Festival last month, but there were also some interesting concept and prototype bikes on display. This one caught our eye – it’s called the Him-e and is one of a fleet of prototype test mules made by Royal Enfield to explore possibilities for future EV two-wheelers. Styled to look like the Himalayan adventure bikes, it’s actually a super-trick hand-made custom, produced by the firm’s R&D team using a powertrain borrowed from the Stark Varg motocross bike. That means a high-tech carbon-sleeved motor which makes an impressive 80hp with 275Nm of torque.
The chassis is a work of art: a bespoke hybrid main frame uses a pair of gorgeous aluminium swingarm pivot plates, bolted to a pair of Stark battery packs, which double up as frame members. The finned air-cooled magnesium casings feature a honeycomb structure with a pressure relief system and IP69K waterproofing for the cells inside, complete with cooling air channels in between and a fan to reduce heat during charging.
At the back is a braced aluminium swingarm which wouldn’t look out of place in the MotoGP paddock, and the suspension front and rear is semi-active Öhlins electronic kit, with long-travel USD forks. There’s a Nissin radial front brake caliper on a small wavy dirt bike disc, and SM Pro Platinum MX wire-spoked wheels, with Bridgestone adventure tyres.
The R&D team has been test riding the bikes around the Himalayas, capturing onboard video of a very fast descent on a stunning mountain pass. Of course, an electric powertrain is unaffected by altitude, so the EV bikes have the same performance as at sea level, whereas petrol-powered bikes are wheezing away with the reduced air pressure.
The Him-e is clearly not a production item – they’re estimated to cost more than £60k each just to build. Rather, they’re a research exercise to explore the opportunities and downsides of battery power going forward. Enfield is very much an internal combustion brand at the moment, though its Flying Flea sub-brand will be launching lightweight urban mobility electric bikes soon. However, a factory insider told us that Royal Enfield is looking ahead, and sees global legislation on the way that will cover things like average fleet fuel consumption figures – meaning full electric or the halfway-house of hybrid powertrains might become essential.