Inspired by Silicon Valley Start-up culture an Indian Electronic Motorcycle is attempting to do what top Motorcycle Companies did not do
The Tork T6X is the first production electric motorcycle to be launched in the Indian market. Featuring several first in class features, the T6X is pegged as an eco-friendly alternative to petrol-powered commuter motorcycles.
The Tork T6X is built around a Custom Trellis frame. It is propelled by a brushless 6kW motor rated at 27Nm of torque, powered by lithium ion batteries. On a full charge, the T6X can cover 100 kilometres.
The battery can be charged to 80 per cent of its capacity in just 60 minutes. The T6X gets a 267mm disc brake at the front and a 220mm disc brake in the rear. It rides on 17-inch alloy wheels with tubeless tyres.
Top speed is 100 kmph.
Tork hasn’t skimped on the features list either. The T6X comes equipped with a TFT digital touch screen console, mobile charger, GPS navigation, anti-theft system and DRLs.
The T6X is the only one offering an anti-theft mechanism in the Indian e-bike market or in the commuter motorcycle segment dominated by petrol engines.
The T6X, has been developed from the ground-up as a brand new product. It is the first and only product of a startup company in India.
The T6X is manufactured in the company’s facility in Pune. It competes with conventional petrol powered motorcycles such as the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, KTM Duke 200 and the Bajaj Pulsar AS200.
Currently, the leading motorcycle companies in India are Hero, Bajaj, Honda with only Hero offering electronic scooters at local dealerships across India.
The other electronic two-wheelers made and sold by Indian companies are low powered scooters by smaller companies. Tork Motorcycles is the first company started with the sole intent of retailing an electronic motorcycle in India.
Tork Motorcycles was founded in 2009, by a group of young graduates who dreamt to work on a zero emissions vehicle that could perform on par with petrol machines.
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Kapil Shelke (Founder & CEO) helmed a team who successfully crafted their first electric motorcycle and raced it against the best in the world at the prestigious IOM event.
Tork Motorcycles was established with a clear vision of designing and developing performance electric motorcycles. In the past decade, Tork has indigenously developed multiple electric motorcycles that have powered racers to podium finishes at the IOM TT and TTXGP,UK.
Driven by such strong credentials and proven expertise, Tork is now poised to break into the Indian Urban Commuter segment, with an offering that is unmatched – both in performance and economy.
Tork is committed to disrupting electric mobility and set standards for innovative and technologically advanced, eco-friendly mobility at affordable prices.
They are the first and only company in India making an affordable electronic motorcycle for daily commuters with benefit of huge savings on fuel and maintenance.
“The racetrack is our favorite laboratory and the fastest way of getting better”
T1X 2009 Isle Of Man TTXGP
T1X was he first-ever electric motorcycle from the Tork stable. The T1X participated in the IOM TT in Open Category and brought glory to the startup at this iconic event.
It was ridden by the legendary John Crellin and finished third on the podium – quite a feat for the first ever participating team from India. The learning from that race paved way for everything that Tork has become.
Torque 30Nm
Power 40Kw
Top speed 156kmph
T2X 2010 Isle Of Man TTXGP
Building upon the racing success of its predecessor, the T2X won the race at the Snetterton circuit and finished 3rd overall after 6 rounds (Snetterton, Anglesey, Pembrey, Brands Hatch, Albacete, Assen) at 2010 TTXGP championship. This success made the world stand up and take notice of Tork Motorcycles abilities.
Torque 60Nm
Power 80Kw
Top speed 210kmph
Range 100Km
T3X 2012 Isle Of Man TTZERO
The fastest electric prototype that Tork ever built – the T3X was a speed demon. The bike was engineered to compete with the best, racing in IOM TT Zero – the toughest racetrack in the world. Technical problems prevented T3X from finishing the race but the learning about quality electrical components was immense.
Torque 70Nm
Power 90Kw
Top speed 240kmph
Range 70Km
The T4X was a Yamaha FZ skeleton that was converted into electric using Tork retrofit kit. It was showcased in Valley Run and recorded a 0-100 kmph in 8.7 seconds in a demo run for electric motorcycles.
This nifty sprinter paved the way for development of the urban commuter of the future. An everyday use motorcycle which was electric – for the multi-billion dollar “commuter motorcycle” segment.
Torque 20Nm
Power 30Kw
Top speed 127kmph
Range 80Km
NOW FINALLY AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING IN 2018 – T6X
Specifications
Motor and performance
Motor type : Brushless DC 6kW (peak)
Mileage : 100 k.m. per charge
Maximum torque : 27 Nm
Maximum speed : Engineered for 100 kmph
Transmission : Single speed
Regenerative braking : Yes
Battery
Type : Lithium Ion
Estimated charging time (80%) : 60 min
Battery box : Cast aluminium IP 67
Safety : Advanced battery management system
Brake
Front Brake : Disc 267 mm
Rear Brake : Disc 220 mm
Tyre size
Tyre size front : 80/100 – 17
Tyre size rear : 110/80 – 17
Tyre type : Tubeless
Wheel
Wheel type : Alloy
Chassis and suspension
Front suspension : Telescopic fork
Rear suspension : Spring loaded hydraulic
Frame: Custom Trellis
Electrical
Battery life : 1,000 cycles
Battery capacity : 72 Ah
Tail lamp: LED
Turn signal lamp: LED
Head lamp: 12 V – 35 / 35 W
Voltage: 48 V
Dimension
Wheel Base : 1,336 mm
Length : 1,960 mm
Width: 784 mm
Height: 1,085 mm
Seat height: 785 mm
Ground clearance: 160 mm
Weight: 130 k.g.
Features
Console : Fully digital touch TFT
Utility Box : Yes
Mobile charging: Yes
GPS and navigation: Yes
Mobile app support: Yes
Anti theft: Yes
Geo fencing: Yes
Daytime running light (DRL): Yes
UNDERSTANDING AN ELECTRONIC MOTORCYCLE PURCHASE
1. The battery will be good for 1,000 cycles of charging which makes it equal to 100,000 k.m. of travel. This is equivalent to the entire lifecycle of competing petrol motorcycles. That means the batteries are good for life of motorcycle. Even after 1,000 cycles of charging it only reduces its capacity to 80%.
2. Riding an electronic motorcycle under rainfall does not damage the motorcycle nor causes any electrical accidents to the rider. This machine was made to be sold in the huge Indian market for commuter motorcycles. Indian monsoon is a huge downpour lasting 4 months in a year. Tork T6X was made to endure this.
3. But the roads in India have potholes full of water in monsoon and water-logged suburban roads with knee deep water which get inside exhaust pipes or mix into the engine oil or seep into the petrol tank – causing a major breakdown and expense for the biker. Well – the Tork T6X motorcycle’s electronics and battery box is IP 67 standard i.e. water resistant.
“We built a battery box which you can actually dip in water and see that there’s no moisture or anything seeping into the battery compartment.” – says the CEO
4. As a small startup-company built over 10 years with just one product to offer – at present Tork plans to sell T6X in only 3 major cities – Pune, Bangalore and New Delhi. Developing Dealerships and pan-India sales will take time. Tork plans to enter in other major cities of India in phases. Imagine this as how Uber App entered India by operating cabs in only 2 major cities before expanding and learning the dynamics of the market in India.
5. It will be a government certified vehicle under Regional Transport Office (RTO) norms and regulations for road safety of rider and others on the road just like any other motorcycle. A customer will also need insurance and a valid driving license to ride it as per Indian laws.
6. Electricity prices vary across India. Some State-run utility service providers charge higher rates if the electric unit consumption is high to discourage wastage of electricity, which is a small luxury still trying to light up homes in remote villages of India. Tork Motorcycle will need only 4 units of electricity to fully charge the battery.
7. Unlike big brand electric car companies in Japan, EU and the US based Tesla who have differing recharge requirements but wish to setup a universal standard for petrol-pump-type of battery recharge stations at the cost of the tax-paying citizen through their influence on governments to include their unique technical pain-points – a T6X Motorcycle customer will have their own charging plug which can be installed at customer’s premises by Tork. It will need necessary permissions from customer.
This seems restrictive to the usage of the motorcycle but the product is targeted for commuters and not inter-city travel or touring. Tork Motorcycles however will also setup charging infrastructure across the city where they will enter – through franchising and contracting with individual shops and garages – just as Amazon.com ties up with small shops for local end-point delivery of online shopping customers or for customers who want a pick-up location for their purchases since no one is at home to sign for it.
“I wanted to build a very large-range bike. You can put in a very large battery box and travel 400 km at a stretch, but do you want that? Are you willing to pay for batteries that you’re not going to use 90 percent of the time?” asks the CEO.
Tork has installed six charging stations in Pune, and plans to install 100 charging points in the city before deliveries ship out.
8. Electric vehicles are simple and durable machines, it doesn’t require periodic servicing. Since the motorcycle is cloud connected, Tork Motorcycle Company will be able to recommend servicing when their automated systems find any abnormalities in any customer’s motorcycle.
9. Battery is also maintenance free and has intelligent Battery Management System (BMS) which continuously tracks and monitors each cell of the battery during charging and discharging, to take proper care of its health and to provide smart power consumption.
The Tork T6X is India’s first electric performance motorcycle. Built on 7 years of exhaustive Research and Development, the T6X comes from a stable of thoroughbreds, having shared the drawing board with expert feedback from riders and motorcycle makers in Isle of Man TT, TTXGP performances.
The T6X ushers in a host of never-before features for the smart modern urban commuter, driven by technology poised at the cutting edge where electric motorcycle for the first time meets an intelligent operating system – with aspirations to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet Of Things (IoT) to the existing cloud platform. A smart-motorcycle with an App for your smart-phone.
An electric commercially retailed motorcycle with enough torque to smoke most challengers in the 125cc to 200cc hot selling segment of the biking industry. Enough race cred to make any competitors on city streets question their big brand petrol machines.
Tork Motorcycles aims to unleash a new future for personal transport in the many new urban cities of India, which is the sixth-largest economy in the world as of 2018 after overtaking France this year.
TIROS – the brain-tech of the nerd-brain entrepreneurs
TIROS (Tork Intuitive Response Operating System) is the intelligence that drives the T6X. Apart from analysis and compilation of data for every ride, power management, real time power consumption and range forecasts, TIROS also likes to learn how you ride.
With easily customizable ride modes to adjust power delivery, the motorcycle can be tuned anywhere from sporty maverick to comfortable eco-cruiser at the touch of a button.
TIROS also updates and incorporates new features automatically via the cloud, making the Tork T6X truly the smartest motorcycle on the road.
The TFT Digital Touch Screen Console on the Tork T6X motorcycle will give the rider an instant status of the ride, with all the numbers and description required. The rider can for example compare statistics on the ride from home to office today with last week’s travel on the same route.
Compare the data on traffic updates and weather to pick alternative routes. Even compare cloud stored data from six months ago to check if the changes to traffic police operations or pothole repairs have benefited you now.
Make a comprehensive diagnostic check of the motorcycle while you are eating lunch with your kids or while discussing business with colleagues at a power-lunch. Configure to check your motorcycle’s performance when it was brand new and now after 12 months of daily use.
The transmission happens automatically and seamlessly between the motorcycle and its server.
Traditional Comforts of the Motorcycle
Cruise comfortably at 100 kmph, the only vibrations you feel will be from the phone call in your pocket with the worried wifey calling, wondering where you ran off to.
Zip out at the green traffic light with pickup powered by instant torque – a whopping 27 Nm of instant torque from the moment you use a push-button automatic gear acceleration.
The T6X weighs a total of 130 KG allowing easy handling even for a woman rider with enough ground clearance for the Mars like terrain on Indian roads. It has a stepped seat with the essential pillion seat for commuters in a city.
Utility Storage, another selling point against competing commuter motorcycles is offered with enough space to fit your helmet. A point to charge your phone or iPod is also available for the weary commuter stuck in bottle-neck traffic for hours.
The launch price of Tork T6X motorcycle in Pune city is estimated to be Indian Rupees ? 136,500 including the government taxes, registration, insurance, etc. – called “on-road price” which differs from State to State in India with companies having a single pan-India sale price called “ex-showroom price”.
The premise looks great – the buzz is already in the news – with a single city launch, Tork Motors even has the luxury to get back up and carry on if for some miraculous reason there is failure after all this exceptional milestones achieved and years of hardwork.
Let’s cheer for this underdog, because it is a bunch of 20 year-old-boys who built a bike from scratch – the very pioneering work done by legends of industry in Europe and North America back in 1901 and the true Biker-Freedom-Custom-Culture of modern motorcycling legends.
–Ujjwal Dey
Chief Correspondent
Bikernet India News Desk
wayfarer@bikernet.com
