KTM’s innovative plans for an electric scooter are moving closer to fruition, as a prototype of the anticipated vehicle was recently sighted undergoing testing in Europe.
This exciting development is a clear indication that KTM, a brand renowned for its high-performance motorcycles, is steering towards embracing sustainable mobility solutions. It also underscores KTM’s commitment to bringing electric vehicles (EVs) to the Indian market, where KTM has enjoyed considerable success with its range of combustion engine motorcycles.
As revealed in the spotted photos, the electric scooter prototype is in its early development phase, with some parts created using cutting-edge 3D printing technology. While the vehicle was appropriately camouflaged, keen observers were able to discern notable design characteristics. The prototype’s design, although not as aggressive as the concept scooter presented by KTM years ago, still retained a generous amount of the company’s signature design language.
The electric scooter prototype follows the prevailing trend in India for e-scooters, with the battery pack positioned beneath the floorboard to lower the centre of gravity, thereby enhancing handling. The scooter’s swingarm, crafted entirely from aluminium, remains true to KTM’s conventional design approach. An aluminium plate attached to the swingarm, potentially for cooling the electric motor, was also noticed, although the motor itself was not visible in the photos.
Among other features observed were a flat single seat, disc brakes at both ends, alloy wheels, a sizable windscreen, LED lights, and a broad digital instrument cluster.
According to industry speculation, the KTM electric scooter could be powered by an 8kW motor, potentially co-developed with Bajaj Auto, an Indian multinational two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturing company. Bajaj’s Chetak scooter is rumoured to share the same platform as the KTM scooter but with a less powerful motor.
Over the past few years, KTM and Bajaj have collaborated on a common EV platform, a move aimed at boosting product development and achieving economies of scale. The production-ready model of the KTM e-scooter is anticipated to be unveiled later this year at the EICMA motor show, with a launch expected in early 2025.
In a nod to the companies’ ongoing collaboration, the KTM e-scooter will likely be manufactured at Bajaj’s Chakan plant in India and exported worldwide, thus bolstering the role of Indian manufacturing in the global EV landscape.