Kawasaki Plugs into the Electric Era: Say Hello to the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1!

The ink's barely dry on the homologation papers, and Kawasaki's ready to rock the e-bike world. This ain't just another head-fake, folks. They're prepping to launch two all-electric motorcycles, the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1. You're thinking, "Isn't that a bit late to the party?" Well, you're right! But better late than never, right?

Now, remember the 2022 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show when Kawasaki showcased some e-bike blueprints? Well, the cat's out of the bag now. These electric gladiators are tuned up and ready to ride.

Let's dive into what makes these two-wheeled lightning rods tick, shall we? If you're familiar with the Ninja 400 and Z400, you'll see their DNA in these electric siblings. But hey, don't expect a perfect resemblance. We're talking twins separated at birth, not clones. They've borrowed some threads from their gas-guzzling big brothers and spiced things up with wheels and brakes from the slightly less 'roided out’ Ninja 300 and Z300.

Now, onto the specs. According to the filing papers from Down Under, these electrified stallions are a bit lighter on horsepower than initially speculated. Instead of the 14.75 horsepower guess, they're rocking a modest 12 horses under the hood. Well, at least they're easy on the power grid, right?

In terms of weight, the Z e-1 checks in at around 298 pounds, while the Ninja e-1 is just a smidge heavier at 309 pounds. But hold your horses – we're not sure if that includes the two 26-pound batteries that power these babies. If we whip out the abacus and do some quick math, these batteries add up to a 3 kWh capacity.

Now, you might be thinking, "Isn't that a tad small?" Bingo, it certainly is! It's like taking a water gun to a house fire – it'll get the job done, but it won't be easy. Expect limited city ranges and top speeds that won't exactly leave a sonic boom in their wake. 

This is the first serious step of a Japanese Big Four manufacturer into the electric motorcycle market. Kawasaki, along with Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki, have been toe-dipping for years. Meanwhile, their American and Italian counterparts have been ripping up the asphalt with electric hogs for years. It's high time Kawasaki joined the e-revolution, but will these little e-1s have the juice to keep up with their international rivals?

In the grand scheme of things, the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 may not exactly set the e-bike world on fire. But hey, it's a start, and sometimes, that's all you need. So, buckle up, folks! Kawasaki's e-journey has just begun.