EICMA 2018 witnessed a low of new launches. Among them was the elusive Kymco SuperNEX, an electric supersport with features of a modern sports bike. The bike was brought to life by Kymco, a company from Taiwan with decades of experience in mobility solutions. The Kymco SuperNEX is the second known electric bike with a manual transmission, including a clutch and a gearbox. The first one is the UM Thor, which was showcased at Auto Expo 2018 in Greater Noida, India. The officials of the Kymco explained that an electric motorcycle delivers power very early in the rev range, as a result, it starts to lose the grunt as soon as it reaches mid-range. To combat this problem, Kymco has installed a 6-speed manual transmission in their SuperNEX sports bike.
The SuperNEX also comes with an ‘Active Acoustic Motor’, which enables the electric motor to generate a sound and compensate for the lack of an exhaust note. Several rider aid electronics like launch control, traction control and wheelie control are also present. According to the officials, these features will help the rider to decelerate fast, accelerate hard and avoid wheelspin. The bike also has a ‘Full Engine Performance’ management system through which the rider will be able to customise his riding style.
The whole theme of Kymco SuperNEX is to abolish the negativity surrounding the electric superbikes. The company’s aim is to make their bike a perfect replacement for modern day supersports. They want the rider to feel at home when he swings his leg over the saddle and enters the cockpit. Will Kymco succeed in their efforts? Only time will tell.
By: Yetnesh Dubey