Tech
The Revolt electric motorcycle is getting a more affordable sibling
The new Revolt RV1 is expected to cost around $1,000.
Revolt is releasing a new version of its RV300 electric motorcycle, Electrek reports. Or rather, the Indian company is replacing the RV300 (pictured above) with a new model called the RV1.
Unveiled in 2019, the RV300 is a lower-end version of the RV400, an electric bike tailored towards urban travelers with a top speed of 53mph and a range of 97 miles in the city. The RV400 has been a success since launch despite the COVID-19 pandemic, frequently selling out when new batches go on sale.
The RV300 comparatively hasn’t done so well, however, likely because Revolt offers its bikes through a unique subscription model and the higher-end RV400 doesn’t cost much more. And Revolt is coming back with a new bike, the RV1, that should offer more value. The new bike is estimated to retail less than the RV300, around $1,000 and will be Revolt’s first bike to be manufactured entirely in India. Too bad you can’t get one in the United States.
Motorcycle market — Two-wheeled transport is incredibly popular in India — once it was about affordability, but today leisure is also a factor. And so it’s no surprise that the country is seeing strong demand for electrified bikes. The government there is aiding in the push through its FAME II incentive program that seeks to incentivize the uptake of EVs with subsidies. That’s surely aided by Revolt’s subscribe-to-buy model where customers can buy a bike outright, or pay around $50 per month until it’s paid off.
Revolt expects the market for electric two-wheelers in India will reach $6 billion by 2025. E-bikes are not only good for the environment, they’re quite pleasant to ride, as they eliminate loud engine noise and harsh vibrations.
Inevitably, the RV300 misses out on several features from the RV400, like 4G LTE connectivity and remote start from a smartphone. Top speed is also lower, at 40mph. The RV1 is supposed to be even more affordable, but it’s unclear whether that means it will be less performant.
Revolt says that the existing inventory of the RV300 is being sold to Domino’s Pizza, which will convert its entire fleet of petrol bikes over to zero-emissions ones.