Erik Buell is like the Terminator. He just keeps coming, despite what many would perceive as crippling blows to him, both in his ambitions and current business. The latest is that he has teamed up with eminent partners to foray into the electric motorcycle space.
Frederic Vasseur of Formula E and F1, and entrepreneur Francois Terny share Buell’s vision of making superb electric motorycles. Together, the trio has floated a new firm called Fuell. The first bike out of the newly-minted firm will be called Fuell Flow.
The Fuell Flow comes in two versions. The entry-level variant has an 11-kW power output (14.5hp) while a 35kW (47hp) version is equivalent to A2-licence motorcycles. Fuell is claiming a range of 200km for the Flow, and a price tag of $10,995 (AED 40,500) in the US.
The Fuell Flow can be specced in low-power moped class or A2-licence beginner class.
Next up is the Fuell Fluid that also claims to go up to 200km between charges and comes in two versions. The first is locked at 32kph while the second is restricted to 45kph. You can get a healthy dollop of torque from the Fuell Fluid, amounting to a bit more than 100Nm. Two removable 500Wh batteries keep the motor going, while a carbon belt drive system and internal hub gears of the motor are virtually maintenance-free.
Fuell claims the Fluid will cost $3,295 (AED 12,200) in the US. The company also mentioned financing options for both motorcycles that ‘favour usage over ownership (credit, leasing, battery leasing)’.
The Fuell Fluid (ahead) is an urban runabout that can go almost 200km between charges.
More details will surface in the coming months. Deliveries of the Fuell Fluid will commence sometime in 2019, with the Fuell Flow following suit in 2021. While it is sad to see that Buell has had to call quits on producing one of the most mental superbikes to ever grace streets around the world, the fact that Erik Buell refuses to give up gives us immense excitement and anticipation. After all, anything that leaves a Buell workshop has to be a sensational creation, right?