Royal Enfield’s First Electric Motorcycle Is Finally Here
It’s taken its time, but Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle is finally ready for its moment.
The world’s oldest motorcycle maker officially launched its new battery-powered sub-brand, Flying Flea, in India earlier this week, according to Electrek. The company’s first electric bike is the C6, which pairs a heritage-inspired look with modern-day technology.
The new e-moto line, which was first announced back in 2024, takes its name from one of the manufacturer’s most famous motorcycles, the Flying Flea, a 125cc field bike that was air-dropped alongside British paratroopers during World War II (the brand’s logo references this past). But that’s not the only way in which the two-wheeler has influenced Royal Enfield’s next chapter. The company’s first two battery-powered models, the C6 and the upcoming S6, were also designed to be as lightweight and versatile as possible, just like their namesake.
The C6 may not be as spartan as the original Flying Flea, but it still sports a stripped-down retro design. Unlike so many e-motos, there’s nothing futuristic about the bike’s look, and it could even be mistaken for a Royal Enfield’s midcentury two-wheeler were it not for the missing combustion engine. Despite this, it still features a faux fuel tank that acts as a cover for the vehicle’s battery and its charging port. Two colorways will be available at launch: the more traditional Flea Green (seen up top) and the sinister Storm Black.
The C6 will be powered by a 15.6 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor that produces up to 60 ft lbs of torque. That’s enough grunt to push the bike from zero to 37 mph in just 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 71 mph. That’s more than enough to get you around town and suggests the bike may be suited to medium-length commutes. The specs, which were only made public this week, do raise some questions, though. The battery is said to have 3.91 kWh of usable capacity, which is on the low side as far as e-motos are concerned. Because of that the claimed 96-mile range seems rather ambitious. Electek and outlets like Gear Patrol suggest the real-world range may actually be half that figure, if not lower. The company says charging the battery from 20 to 80 percent capacity will take a little over an hour.
Despite this, the Flying Flea C6 should prove to be an intriguing option to those for an e-moto to get around the city. The bike is starting at around $3,000 in India, but we’ll have to see if that price changes if it is eventually brought to our shores.
This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.