Indian firm releases first electric bike, with inspiration from WW2, 125cc performance and 65 mile range, for £5,300
Royal Enfield has finally released the full European market details on its new light urban mobility electric machine, the Flying Flea C6.
And it’s an impressive first attempt from the firm, with a solid set of specs and an interesting, novel design, alongside the launch of a new dealer infrastructure to sell the bikes in cities across Europe.
The Flying Flea name traces its heritage back to the Second World War, when Enfield produced lightweight motorcycles to be dropped alongside airborne troops and help out with communication and logistics.
Fast-forward 80 years or so, and the new Flying Flea is a very different beast, with an all-new bespoke chassis, in-house electric powertrain, and slick design. And it’s going on sale in the UK next month, initially at Krazy Horse in Welling, SE London, with more dealers across Europe, and a full UK network to come.
The Flea has a unique look, thanks in part to a cool ‘girder’ front fork. Where it would have been easy for the firm to simply spec a bulk-built, utility-grade conventional telescopic fork, the engineers have instead come up with a precision-engineered forged aluminium girder fork, complete with dual mini shocks integrated into the forgings.
The single seat, monocross-type rear swingarm and sleek ‘fuel tank’ lines are accentuated by the main frame, and the result is an attractive, svelte organic design overall. Thin-spoked cast aluminium wheels and disc brakes contrast with the old-school round mirrors and LED headlight, for an almost art-deco feel. There are three colours – black, white and green.
The technology behind the design is a vital part of the Flea design of course. And Royal Enfield says it’s developed the powertrain in-house. At the heart is a 3.91kW/h lithium-ion battery module, encased in lightweight magnesium alloy and supported by an efficient air-cooled ventilation system.
That battery pack powers a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that gives peak power of 15.4kW and maximum torque of 60Nm, while final drive is by two-stage belt setup. That system is matched to a fast onboard charger, which connects to a normal 240 volt 13 amp socket and gives a full charge from 20% to 80% in just over an hour, giving approximately 1km of range per minute of charging.
For longer battery health, riders also have the option to trickle charge – putting control firmly in their hands through intelligent software-led charge management. The price for all this? A decent £5,300.
Royal Enfield CEO B. Govindarajan said, “Our foray into electric mobility through the differentiated Flying Flea brand reflects our long-term intent to build a new category of electric mobility.
The response to the Flying Flea C6, our first electric motorcycle, since its launch in Bengaluru, India has been outstanding with early riders logging over 100,000 customer-ridden kilometres in just three months.
This response, backed by significant R&D investment, years of rigorous testing, and in-house innovation, gives us the confidence to expand Flying Flea’s presence further. The FF.C6 purposefully brings together our design language from the past with advanced battery and connected vehicle technology, delivering a category-creating, authentic, agile, and premium ride experience.
Our rollout in Europe and the UK will be phased, prioritising a robust sales and service network and infrastructure so we can ensure a superior ownership experience from day one. We are building this electric future with commitment, and with an exciting product pipeline ahead, Flying Flea is all set to take Royal Enfield’s legacy into a new era.”
We’ll be riding the Flying Flea next month – and we’ll tell you more then. In the meantime, check https://flyingflea.royalenfield.com/in/en/product/c6/ for more.