Royal Enfield Electric Himalayan Prototype

Admin · November 8, 2023

Royal Enfield’s Electric Himalayan prototype has been undergoing testing in the same rugged Himalaya mountains where the new ICE model was developed. (Royal Enfield/)

Royal Enfield spent decades as the butt of jokes about its archaic product range and capitalizing on the desire among parts of the motorcycle-buying population to stick to tried-and-tested ideas rather than adopting anything new. So there’s little that illustrates the recent transformation of the brand from throwback to forward-looking pioneer than the reveal of the Electric Himalayan prototype—a running test bed that’s being used to explore ideas for a battery-powered future.

Royal Enfield is looking past its recent successes and is preparing for its future. (Royal Enfield/)

Royal Enfield, remember, was a company that stuck to 1950s-style right-hand gearshifts until well into the 21st century and didn’t add a fifth-gear ratio until 2002. Fuel injection is still a relatively new addition to its bikes, and the new Himalayan, launched at EICMA this week, is the company’s first liquid-cooled model. Other companies make retro models, but for much of Royal Enfield’s history its bikes have simply been old-fashioned.

Not anymore. Not only does the latest Himalayan feature up-to-date tech, but the company is already working on its electric future, revealing the Electric Himalayan on its stand at EICMA in Milan.

Related: Most Interesting Electric Motorcycles of 2023

If the prototype can survive the harsh environment that the mountains it's named after dish out, then it will survive anything. (Royal Enfield/)

The Electric Himalayan isn’t a production model or even a tease for an upcoming machine. Instead, it’s a test bed to see how well electric-bike tech can cope with the sort of rugged existence the Himalayan is designed for, operating in the very mountain range that it’s named after. Royal Enfield has used rapid prototyping and ideas including a structural battery box that doubles as the bike’s chassis—developed by Harris in the UK—and the use of organic flax fiber for the composite bodywork.

The electric Himalayan in clay model form. (Royal Enfield/)

Details of the bike’s performance, battery capacity, and range remain secret and are likely to evolve as the project develops further, but it’s clear that electric bikes are something that Royal Enfield is serious about pursuing.

Progress is happening quickly at RE. The original Himalayan, new 2024 liquid-cooled model, and electric prototype. (Royal Enfield/)

“When we started this project, we were keen to create something that would be a guiding light for long-term sustainable travel in the Himalayas,” said Mario Alvisi, chief growth officer for EV at Royal Enfield. “More than building a motorcycle for regulations or directive, we saw this as an opportunity to create something unique and to inspire future generations. What began as a capability exercise for our teams is now this electric adventure motorcycle we are very proud of; a new expression of our love for adventure and the mountains. The Electric Himalayan Testbed is much more than a design concept. For us, this is our vision and a glimpse of what to expect from us in the future. There is a much larger electric mobility blueprint that is being brought alive at Royal Enfield as we continue to work on multiple ‘electrifying’ expressions of pure motorcycling.”

Royal Enfield is committed to the future of motorcycling, and electrics are bound to be a big part of that. (Royal Enfield/)

“At Royal Enfield, our Electric Mobility team is powered by the objective of preserving the quintessential Royal Enfield DNA, and extending that into our creative ideas and designs for electric motorcycles as well,” said B. Govindarajan, Royal Enfield CEO. “This Electric Himalayan concept motorcycle is an outcome of this pursuit, as purpose and innovation meet distinct Royal Enfield design and character. This motorcycle is only just a part of a much bigger sustainable ecosystem of exploration and adventure that we are working on in the Himalayas. From green charging pit stops to our responsible travel initiative, from creating self-sustaining communities to collaboration with UNESCO to preserve the intangible cultural heritage of the Himalayan region, there are a lot of initiatives we are passionately driving.”

Overlooking the Chenab River valley in the Himachal Pradesh region of northern India. (Royal Enfield/)