A look back at previous concepts
In the past, major manufacturers, including Yamaha, have repeatedly presented electric concept motorcycles, but these have never made it to series production. Despite serious plans and announcements, no electrically powered sports bike has yet made it into showrooms. Yamaha had originally announced back in 2013 that it would launch “electric sports bikes” inspired by the PES1 within two years. However, these plans were postponed and the market launch is still pending. So far, only Energica has actually offered electric sports motorcycles, although Zero is also likely to unveil something soon.
Technical details of the new design
Yamaha’s current patent application shows an electric motorcycle with a classic chassis design that combines a trellis frame with an aluminum swing arm. The heart of the motorcycle is a large housing with cooling fins, which contains the batteries and the necessary electronics. The electric motor is moved as far back as possible to maximize the space for the batteries. The front sprocket is driven via a reduction gear, which requires a special, high-positioned shock absorber for the rear suspension.
A key feature of the new design is the air cooling of the batteries. While many high-performance electric motorcycles rely on liquid-cooled systems, Yamaha is taking the air-cooling route to reduce weight and complexity. This decision could pay off particularly with future battery generations that are designed for a wider temperature range. The design of the battery compartment relies on a simple structure with minimal seams to reduce the risk of water ingress. Inside the housing there are several platforms, each supporting two battery modules. The cooling fins on the sides and bottom of the housing increase the cooling surface and provide additional stability.
The control electronics and battery management system are housed in the upper part of the battery, while the inverter is located in the lower part of the motorcycle. The charger is integrated under the seat to save space.
Future performance expectations
The exact performance of the planned electric motorcycle is not yet known. However, Yamaha already has its own department for electric drive systems, which supplies motors from 35 kW (47 hp) to 350 kW (476 hp) to external customers. With many years of experience and development in the field of electric motorcycles, it seems only a matter of time before Yamaha is ready to enter the market for large, powerful electric vehicles.
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→ This article is part of our comprehensive overview of patents and future technologies – find all developments in our Patents and Future Motorcycle Technology overview.
