Tork Motorcycles, Pune, has developed India’s first all-electric motorcycle, T6X, built on seven years of exhaustive research and development. It has all the features for the smart urban commuter, driven by technology. The company was founded in 2009 with a vision to create a zero-emission vehicle that could perform like a petrol engine car. In the past ten years, it has developed multiple electric motorcycles that have powered racers to compete on the toughest racetracks of the world.
T6X can achieve a top speed of 100kmph and travel a distance of 100km with one-time charging. It has a 10.9cm (4.3-inch) TFT screen with GPS, app and cloud connectivity. Its 27nm starting torque enables quick start at traffic lights. A phone charging point with space around it can be used to store accessories. T6X is an all-electric bike powered by a 6kW or 8BHP electric motor.
It is powered by lithium-ion batteries that can be charged at a rate of 80 per cent an hour. The battery is engineered to achieve the 100kmph top speed with superior acceleration. Headlights are a halogen unit, while indicators are LEDs. Software and features update automatically through cloud connectivity.
Tork Intuitive Response Operating System (TIROS) is the intelligence that drives T6X. It compiles and analyses the data of every ride, power management, real-time power consumption and range. It also learns how the bike is ridden. It has easily-customisable ride modes to adjust power delivery, from sporty maverick to comfortable eco-cruiser, at the touch of a button. This innovation can disrupt the field of electric mobility.
Founder and chief executive officer, Kapil Shelke, helmed the team that successfully crafted the first electric motorcycle and raced it against the best in the world at the prestigious IOM event. He said that the company is making T6X ready for production and sale soon. He expects Tork Motors to launch the final product by the end of this year. Its on-road price will be ₹ 125,000 plus applicable taxes (minus a subsidy of up to ₹ 30,000). Subsidy value will depend on the subsidy provided by the government at the time of purchase.
The company has already set up a manufacturing unit in India, so it would be safe to assume that the after-sales service and availability of spares would not be an issue.
Ride experience
Due to the non-existence of physical gear shifter and clutch lever, the motorbike does not make any noise, making the ride smooth and noise-free. This also makes the ride different than usual. Throttle response of the electric vehicle is spontaneous. The fact that it has less than ten per cent moving parts as compared to a conventional internal combustion engine makes the whole ride more comfortable, vibration-free and fun. This is what the future of riding motorcycles looks like!
