Looks like it's getting closer to possibly being a reality. 60 hp, 81 ft-lb torque 88 mph top speed up to 103 miles range https://www.imz-ural.com/electric/
With the obvious space advantage of having a sidecar, would be really nice to see some slimmer "plate like batteries" maybe utilizing some space on the sidecar as well to add range, but also balance the weight/add ballast to the sidecar. Like under the seat, under some type of false floor (obviously not too far forward) or in the trunk. Maybe could get that range up to 150. Of course that would increase overall weight. Always a tradeoff i spose.
They wrote up a nice story about it and have great pictures. I saw this posted: WHAT’S NEXT The company has no immediate plans to manufacture an all-electric model at this time. The decision will ultimately be based on market research, consumer and industry experts’ feedback. We estimate it would take approximately 24 months to ramp up serial production upon final design approval. Production bike design would incorporate the latest battery technology and charging options.
It looks from the pictures like batteries are slung under the sidecar and there are some pretty heavy duty cables running back to the bike too....so guessing they've gone that route. I do think a sidecar rig is an obvious choice for an E-Bike.
Ahh missed that pic. Yea ive thought about trying to find one of those old non functional ural 650s that come up occasionally for $2k and just yanking the engine and doing a DIY electric bike - several threads on here have done it with solo bikes, don't think ive seen one with a sidecar yet.
For the price that Ural would conceivably charge for their electric sidecar rig, I'd require the current range to be double what it currently is. A 240 volt charging hookup would be convenient, too. I do like the new switchgear. Perhaps we will see it on the gas bikes at some point. It's not currently evident on the bike in the 'New for 2019' photos.
I have a veritable "shit-ton" of solar on my bus/R-V. I wonder if I could recharge it as I travel down the road?
They've been playing the whole "nothing to see here, move along" for a year or so... It's got to be Ural's worst kept secret ever.
https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/09/ural-electric-prototype-review-first-ride-918273/?guccounter=1 The prototype review reads quite promising.
Here's the thing: Ural's are about Retro, a modernized WW2 BMW. They also weigh a ton, Neither of those work towards electric. I think there development money could be better spent.
It was a huge hit with everyone who rode it at their open house today. " WOW!", "F*** YEAH", "AWESOME" were typical responses from both Ural owners, and those who ride other rigs. Also because its weight is carried lower, and better distributed, its by far the best handling Ural to date. The new 2019 top end and EFI system is also a real improvement, so I wouldn't say splitting their R&D resources has been unwise.
OK, I can't argue with any of the info in that article. Wait, I said that wrong. I AGREE with all the info in that article. That's what I was trying to say. Today I had the chance to ride 5 miles as monkee then 5 miles as pilot on the electric prototype. And the author definitely hit all the high points, especially about the batteries acting as ballast, and the ease of adapting to the e-bike controls and feel. One thing he failed to mention was just how sm-o-o-o-th the bike feels. In fact, after I left the Ural HQ, I got into my wife's 2018 Honda Accord which everybody will agree is one of the smoothest vehicles on the planet, and I was surprised about how "abrupt" it felt compared to the Ural I had just driven. Brakes? Well, brakes are not exactly "Honda Accord" quality. But I think most customers will be willing to overlook that. The only option would be for Ural to develop a Goldwing-style linked-brake ABS system which, lets admit, ain't gonna happen. The article states the top end is 88mph. I didn't have a chance to test that out. But it gets up to 65mph (indicated) without any drama. I will admit that I didn't try the "eco" mode--I kept it in sport mode the whole time. Digital instrument cluster shows you how much juice you have left, speed, and a few other things that I didn't pay any attention to, but it's easy to read even by this visually-challenged pilot. This vehicle, if it ever goes into production, and if the price is not sky high, has the potential to appeal to a huge mass market that is NOT part of the current demographic for motorcycles. No clutch, no shifting, no stalling at stoplights, super quiet, damn fast (well, that's relative, but from 0 to 45 mph it will out-accelerate 95% of the cage drivers you are likely to see), stable because of the battery ballast, and it turns easy and tracks straight. I can see Millennials and Gen X'ers jumping onto this rig and taking it out for a 100-mile loop to their favorite local places. I can actually see myself as a baby-boomer using it as a fun around-town whoop-whoop machine. The only way to make it more approachable to the masses might be to make the rims tubeless (since "the masses" have no idea how to fix a tube-type flat), and to add a factory USB charging port (since the masses must have their smartphones on board and charged up.) Still, I really think the Ural and Zero people have got something here. For us sidecar dog people, I would think the dogs will like the absence of exhaust noise especially no decel popping.
Also had the chance to see Windmill again whom I had not seen since he and I rode together on a Stampede Pass sidecar outing back in 2012. Memorable for me because I blew out a slave cylinder on that ride and had a great adventure getting the rig home again without calling a tow truck. Hi, Windmill!
The price will be dear, if Ural's domestic sales history is instructive. More to the point, scooters already provide the advantages that you mention, and which I've bolded in the quote. So, with the foregoing in mind: Will Ural's e-rig convince non-traditional consumers, so to speak, to enter this market for the first time? In small numbers, I'd say. The Ural sidecar rig itself is very niche-y. We know this. I'm not yet convinced that a change in powertrain will be the watershed event (in terms of sheer sales figures) that media speculation seems to currently believe. Minds can be changed with hard evidence, but that will come only with time. Electric vehicles do have a proprietary and enviable appeal. I am glad to read about Ural taking the long view here.
The important thing to consider vis-a-vis scooters, is that the e-Ural (currently vapor-ware but a real possibility) is not a two-wheeled vehicle--it's a sidecar! Apples and oranges. Think of all the reasons a consumer would desire a sidecar rig and NOT a scooter. Admittedly, there are scooters that can be hacked. Burgmans and Vespas. But these are not available new from a retail store with a warranty. And don't discount the appeal of being carbon neutral.
