The list of motorcycle manufacturers going on record to say they are developing electric street motorcycles just got longer.  This time around, it’s Pierer Mobility (the parent company to KTM, Husqvarna, and GASGAS) that has taken the leap.

The company’s current lineup of e-motorcycles includes balance bikes, sport minis, the GASGAS TRIAL, and KTM FREERIDE E.  But none of those machines are designed or capable of being ridden on the street.

Pierer Mobility’s current electrically powered two-wheeler lineup is shown in a recent investor document.

Pierer Mobility investor document

A recent preliminary investor document discussing the company’s performance in 2021 says that is changing.   Inside the presentation, the Austrian manufacturer shows a list of four “E-Motorcycles Under Development.”  Included in that list are:

1. E10
2. E-PILEN
3. E-DUKE
4. Freeride E LV

But things are different with the KTM Freeride E.  It is already in production, and it seems that KTM may be using that platform in developing a new bike with a lower power 5.5 kW battery capacity.  The fact that there’s already a Freeride in production may be why KTM says the less powerful machine will launch in 2023 with a retail price of less than €10,000.  All of the other machines show a market launch of “tbd” (to be determined).

Hidden meaning

Interestingly, three of the four machines are clearly design drawings.  However, when it comes to the in-process bikes, only the E-Duke, has an image that has been conspicuously pixelated.  And you can see that the bike appears to be resting on its sidestand with the front wheel turned.

This investor document slide shows the four Pierer Mobility’s E-motorcycles they say are currently under development.

Motorcycle.com says that that’s because the bike shown may not be a design drawing.  Instead, they suggest that the image is, in fact, a pixelated picture of a prototype model.  Interesting…

However, that does beg the question of why the bike still shows a “tbd” for its market launch.  If it is a prototype, it’s apparently not close enough to production readiness for Pierer Mobility to estimate a market launch date.

Low power two-wheelers

If you wonder why each of the four currently in development bikes seem to be “low power” machines, there’s apparently a reason for that.   Pierer Mobility’s Chief Executive Officer is quoted as saying:

“We recognize that you have to start on electro-mobility in niches and on young customers.”  – Stefan Pierer as quoted by Motorcycle.com

Reportedly, Pierer went on to say that smaller battery capacities result in higher sales margins, while the lower voltages are safer to use.  If all of this is true, then focusing on a younger demographic could be a way for Pierer Mobility to make itself known in the electric motorcycle marketplace.  And do it while developing brand loyalty with a younger clientele who learn to ride on their machines.  That could be a brilliant move.

And, starting with lower voltages and power provides additional time for technology to develop.  It’s probably easier for the company to develop, market, and sell “low power” machines without competing with the more powerful and potentially capable street machines of competitors like Zero, Energica, Harley-Davidson, and Lightning.

It also won’t be long before we start seeing electric motorcycles from the Japanese Big 4.  They have already made alliances to develop better battery technologies that could provide substantial street performance and range.

Pierer’s six different classifications of powered two-wheelers.

Wide range of classes

Pierer Mobility’s interest in electrically powered two-wheelers is so great that it is working across a wide range of classes.  Its investor presentation also analyzes the classifications of electrically powered two-wheelers and how the company can fill each of these classes.

Using the EU’s standards, Pierer Mobility shows where its products fit into electric mobility.  And of the six classifications they site, only two of those classifications require a motorcycle license.  And, only one carries a “high voltage” label.  This points to Stefan Pierer’s decision to market its initial electric products in the lower power segments.

This slide reinforces Pierer’s belief that there’s more growth potential in the lower power categories than the higher power ones.

Interestingly, street-ready electric motorcycles are a much smaller portion (at least for now) of Pierer Mobility’s electric mobility business plan.  Their chart shows a very steep upward growth curve starting with 2019.  From 2019 to 2021, Pierer says that they experienced a compound annual growth rate of about 58 percent.

With this investor presentation, Pierer Mobility has clearly seen electrically powered motorcycles as a means of profound growth.  And as such, they are going to jump into the electrically powered two-wheeler pool.  But they will be doing it from the shallow end.

All image credit: Pierer Mobility

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