The Royal Enfield electric bike design patent has expired

Leaks – 2025 Release?

In a rather surprising turn of events, a new motorcycle design patent has been leaked online and is attracting a lot of eyeballs. Rightly so, as this design patent is for the upcoming Royal Enfield electric vehicle. However, the question remains whether Royal Enfield will actually launch this bike or is it just a concept that they will showcase at the Auto Expo 2025? Let’s take a look.

Royal Enfield electric bike

The journey of an automobile manufacturer today is highly dependent on their ability to evolve with the changing times. Let’s take heritage bike manufacturers like Royal Enfield. The electric future is not very interesting for them. That’s because their entire fan base is built on the feel and character of the bikes they’ve sold in the past.

LEAK

That being said, Royal Enfield bravely steps into the electric realm. Yes! An iconic motorcycle manufacturer like Royal Enfield is coming up with an electric bike and has patented the same in India.

Looking at the design of this bike, it reminds us of the Royal Enfield Electrik 01 Concept that was launched a few years back. This is a low-slung cruiser-style bike that is likely to have enough power to be comparable to Royal Enfield’s own 350cc range of bikes.

LEAK

Royal Enfield has designed a completely new frame that stands for both style and function. This stylistically pleasing frame houses the bike’s battery housing along with a “fuel tank” that can hold the bike’s electronics and other control systems, instead of gasoline. There is no traditional subframe and the bike has a custom swingarm that somehow reminds me of the Himalayan 450.

The main frame also has some side body panels like other bikes. The rear mudguard is round and in keeping with the classic genre. The battery case has subtle ‘fins’ that mimic Royal Enfield’s portfolio of air-cooled engines. Round headlamps, down-positioned front turn indicators, round ORVM and single-seat setup are notable features.

Will it launch though?

The main highlight, however, is the front suspension setup, where we can see beam forks, similar to what we saw on the Electrik 01 Concept. Beam forks is such an old concept that I have never come across it in my 4 years of Automotive Engineering degree. Like an outdated relic in today’s world.

Beam forks have two arms that support the wheel on either side. An upper dogbone connects the fork assembly to the main frame of the bike. With bikes getting faster around the corner over the years, Girder forks were deemed ineffective and replaced by more modern and sturdier telescopic forks.

So Royal Enfield electric bike design patent is not likely to be production. Instead, it may be a concept for Royal Enfield to showcase in future auto shows. Patenting the design of concept vehicles is a fairly common practice. The production spec model could get fatter tires than those seen in this patent and USD front forks. The performance could be about the same as their 350cc bikes.