Royal Enfield reveals first EV brand Flying Flea-C6, to hit markets next yr

Royal Enfield (RE) is planning to introduce its electric bike initially in developed markets such as Europe and the US where it anticipates better traction for the premium product, a top company executive said on Tuesday.

 

Royal Enfield, a division of Eicher Motors, forayed into electric bike space on Monday with the unveiling of its first model under the all-new Flying Flea brand.

 

Eicher Motors MD and CEO Sidhartha Lal told reporters that C6 is the first bike where India may not be a priority market for introduction.

 

“Obviously, it's (India) always important for us. But there are other markets that will probably have better traction first and then over time, India will also have good traction,” he said.

 

 

However, the first model under “Flying Flea” from the RE stable is set to hit the road in India next year, with the Flying Flea-C6, followed by FF-S6.

 

The brand will also be setting up an exclusive EV-making space within its manufacturing facility at Vallam Vadagal in Tamil Nadu.

 

The name Flying Flea returned to the Royal Enfield lineup on Monday after 75 years. A brand that stood as a point of pride for the 123-year-old company during World War II (WWII) is set to reappear in 2025 in a new avatar, as the company’s first-ever electric vehicle (EV).

 

This move is likely to bring a fresh lease of life and intensified competition to the EV motorcycle segment, which has struggled to gain momentum, with only 11,000-11,500 units sold in 2023. Alongside Royal Enfield, the launch of the high-voltage electric motorcycle Raptee in October, targeting 250-300 cc petrol equivalents, and Ola's unveiling of the Roadster in August have given a fresh impetus to the electric motorbike segment.

 

Major EV motorcycles competing against the iconic Flying Flea will be Revolt RV 400, Matter Area 5000, Oven Rorr, Ola Roadster, Raptee T30, and Tork Kratos. Though Flying Flea was purpose-built for use during WWII when these machines were airdropped via parachute to provide lightweight, easy-to-use, all-terrain mobility, it was later embraced by civilians too, for city exploration purposes. Taking inspiration from the original Flying Flea model, the EV version is a modern interpretation with a sophisticated and distinct aesthetic coupled with class-leading technology.

 

"Today, as we get ready to script a new chapter for Royal Enfield, this mission has been the driving force and inspiration, and is the link between Royal Enfield and the Flying Flea, our new brand for super fun, gorgeous and enjoyable urban-plus mobility. This is a significant step in our evolution as a brand and an opportunity for us to distil the essence of Royal Enfield DNA combined with all the great benefits of EV technology and bring something absolutely delightful and differentiated to the world of city-plus mobility," Lal explained.

 

The reason why companies like Royal Enfield and Ola are betting big on EV motorcycles is that this segment is still at a nascent stage. "The average sale of EV motorbikes is anywhere between 500 and 1,000 units a month. Hence, there is a huge potential and, moreover, there are no mass market players in the segment that can be compared with the 250-350 cc category. This is why we are going aggressive and targeting sales of 8,000 units during the first year," said Dinesh Arjun, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of electric motorcycle Raptee, which is targeting its first delivery by January 2025.

 

According to an industry source, Revolt is the market leader now, clocking around 7,600 units in CY23, followed by Tork Motors, with around 3,000 units. In the premium segment, Ultraviolette sold the majority of around 120 units.

 

It also needs to be seen at what price range Royal Enfield will be hitting the market. Ola unveiled its Roadster series e-bike with a starting price of Rs 74,999, becoming the lowest in the segment. This was seen more as a marketing tactic than a sustainable business model.

 

"All aspects of our connected electric motorcycles, including product strategy and development, technical components like motor, battery, BMS, custom software, and our retail and market strategy, have been developed in-house," said B Govindarajan, CEO of Royal Enfield, announcing the creation of the brand and showcasing of its first two models at the global launch event in Milan ahead of EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori). 

Sparking frenzy 

> Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea-C6 will be the firm’s first bike where India may not be a priority market 

> Revolt RV 400, Matter Area 5000, Oven Rorr, Ola Roadster, Raptee T30, and Tork Kratos are some of the major competitors

> Revolt is the market leader in the EV bikes space with sales of around 7,600 units in CY2023