Evoke’s budget electric moto promises serious everyday rideability

We’ve covered Evoke Motorcycles a couple of times before, but the company seems to have been in a state of limbo for the past couple of years. So here’s a refresher: Evoke is a Hong Kong-based motorcycle company that has been developing bikes since the mid-2010s, building its reputation around relatively affordable, practical EVs rather than ultra-expensive superbikes.Its first production model was the Urban S, followed by the retro-styled Urban Classic, which remains part of the company's lineup. Evoke last launched the ambitious 6061-GT, an electric power cruiser promising 160 hp and a claimed 143 mph (230 km/h) top speed. It now follows up with the Nrgy.The company recently celebrated its 10‑year anniversary with the grand opening of a brand‑new manufacturing factory, while also revealing the all-new Nrgy. It will come in two trims: the Nrgy 6 and Nrgy 8. The 6 will come with a 6.4-kWh LFP battery and be priced at around US$4,995, while the Nrgy 8 will offer a bigger 8.4-kWh pack for around $6,495.Pricing, as you can see, is clearly something Evoke seems to be very cautious about. And it’s no secret why. Electric motorcycles have always had a pricing problem. The Nrgy will come in two trim levels: a 6.4-kWh LFP battery and a bigger 8.4-kWh pack Evoke Motorcycles If you want something with enough grunt to mix it with highway traffic, the price tends to climb alarmingly quickly. If you want something cheap, you usually end up with a glorified moped that runs out of enthusiasm somewhere around 45 mph.The Nrgy, meanwhile, looks to tackle exactly that issue. Evoke promises a 75 mph (120 km/h ) top speed, meaning the thing might actually be genuinely usable beyond the city limits. As for power figures, the Nrgy 16 will likely come with a 15-hp peak output, with the 18 bumping that up to around 20 hp.Evoke also claims 88 to 132 miles (142 to 212 km) of city range for the Nrgy 6. The Nrgy 8 further increases that to 116 to 163 miles (186 to 263 km). That’s not too bad, especially when most 5-grand electric motos hover in the 70- to 100-mile range. On top of it, Evoke uses lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells, which, when compared to other lithium chemistries, may sacrifice energy density for better cycle life and thermal stabilityNot to forget, LFP-powered batteries are cheaper to produce, especially compared to lithium-ion chemistries. That's a reasonable trade-off for a reasonably compact, reasonably priced motorcycle. The Nrgy is styled like a low-slung cruiser, but it's anything but thatEvoke Motorcycles Charging speeds, meanwhile, will vary between 0.5 kW and 3.3 kW, depending on the equipment used. Evoke claims the battery can be charged from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes with its own charging station – which doesn’t really make sense in the west, considering the company doesn’t have a proprietary charging network in the US or Europe.Elsewhere, the Nrgy sports a patented Twin Plate chassis, twin rear coilovers, 43-mm USD forks, and front and rear hydraulic disk brakes. All this while the Nrgy 6 weighs 344 lb (156 kg), while the larger-battery Nrgy 8 comes in at 401 lb (182 kg). Again, I don’t see any problems with that. You’re not looking at an off-road enduro that can jump through trails. For a proper highway-capable electric motorcycle, that’s not too shabby.Stylistically, the Nrgy is an interesting halfway house between a conventional motorcycle and an electric appliance. It retains the familiar fuel-tank shape, saddle and minimalist tail, but the chunky bodywork around the battery doesn't attempt to hide the fact that this is an EV.The Nrgy sits in roughly the same affordable, lightweight electric-motorcycle space once occupied by the Sondors Metacycle and Ryvid Anthem, but Evoke appears to be aiming for more range and a more conventional motorcycle package. Do I like it? Ehhhh … But at least I’m glad we’re not seeing another Tron ripoff in the name of modern design philosophy. The Nrgy promises a 75 mph (120 km/h ) top speedEvoke Motorcycles The bike is intended for the Southeast Asian, European, and North American markets. We expect to get more details on regional pricing, homologation information, and a potential delivery timeline in the coming months.This isn't an attempt to build the world's fastest electric motorcycle, or some 200-hp technological flex. It's a much simpler proposition: make an electric motorcycle that ordinary people might actually be able to afford.Of course, there's a fairly substantial gap between a $5,000 electric motorcycle announced and a $5,000 electric motorcycle you can actually buy. Evoke is a Chinese-origin brand, and we all know how complicated the whole process of eventually launching in the West can be. And until we know the official specifications and real-world performance, there are still plenty of questions hanging over this little electric upstart.Source: Evoke Motorcycles