The well-known Taiwanese brand, during its official presentations to the press in recent years (since Eicma 2018 with the SuperNex concept and then with RevoNex) has presented the electric sports bike of the future, the only one equipped with a gearbox. All we saw of this bike was the prototype, renewed from year to year, one of the many we’re used to seeing at the most important fairs, and yet, according to what was declared at the time, this bike was, or rather will be, the only electric motorcycle with a six-speed gearbox.
A truly unique feature, since all the competitors in this particular segment have always preferred the “direct drive” electric motor capable of delivering “one to a hundred” torque without the need for a traditional gearbox. Even in the Moto-E or Formula-E championships for four-wheeled vehicles, nobody dreamed of using a gearbox.
In fact, precisely because of the typical characteristics of electric motorization, it seems that there is no need to use it, that it is totally dispensable, useless, or even counterproductive, given the mechanical complication that would result. However, it has recently been reported that a patent application has been filed for this famous E-Gearbox. But apparently it’s more of a gearbox simulator than an actual gearbox.
In fact, there will be a clutch lever and a gear lever, but the electronic system should simulate the behavior of a traditional gearbox. A scandal? Although this solution seems to appeal to the more “gaming” side of potential users, it seems that this approach could have some advantages. In fact, it could become a kind of engine multi-map, which can be precisely selected by acting on the gearbox lever. Interesting? Definitely yes, we’ll see if this kind of approach can give Kymco an edge in a segment that is still largely unexplored