Kawasaki's Ninja 400

Homologation documents of the two Kawasaki EVs reveal juicy details

At the EICMA last year, Kawasaki showcased a couple of its electric motorcycles. One was a full-faired sport bike based on its popular Ninja 400 and the other was reminiscent of the Z400. Kawasaki has given no update about their arrival since then, leaving electric motorcycle fans high and dry.

But there’s finally some good news, as it seems Team Green’s EV duo is all set to enter production. They’ve been homologated in Australia and the official filings have surfaced on the internet. These not only reveal their names–Z e-1 and Ninja e-1–but also give away some juicy details. Let’s dive in without further ado.

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First and foremost, the homologation documents reveal the Ninja e-1 and Z e-1 boast a 9kW (12 horsepower) electric motor. This is most likely the continuous output, which explains the 2kW drop from Kawasaki’s earlier claimed 11kW (~15 horsepower) figure. Expect the motor to be good enough for a near-65mph top speed, making the motorcycles strictly commuters for the city.

These numbers might seem underwhelming from a brand with unique screamers like the Ninja ZX-4RR and the Ninja H2 R to its name. But we believe its aim here is to qualify for an A1 license norm in Europe and Britain. The bikes under the category top out at no more than 15 horsepower–a bill the Kawasaki EVs fit well.

That said, with no license norms in America, these bikes will have their hands full with rivals like the Sondors MetaCycle and Ryvid Anthem. The former produces 20 horsepower (with an 80mph top speed) while the latter also has 20 horsepower (albeit with a 75mph top whack). And if Kawasaki prices these beyond the $10,000 mark, then the 84-HP LiveWire S2 Del Mar and 42-HP Zero S will spring into the picture too. So even though Team Green would be the first Japanese bikemaker with full-sized electric motorcycles, it needs to give extra attention to the MSRP.

The filings also include a handful of images of the production-spec EVs. And to no one’s surprise, the Ninja e-1 looks exactly like the Ninja 400 while the Z e-1 is inspired by the Z400. Right from the headlight to the turn signals, all elements are just like the already-on-sale gas-powered streetbikes. So it’s quite clear Kawasaki has no plans to do something out of the ordinary or attempt a “futuristic” approach like most EV brands. Heck, the two bikes even have the same wheelbases as their ICE counterparts. A little too much, but hey, we’re sure fans of the Kawasaki 400cc lineup will appreciate this.

What’s different, you ask? Well, the weight, brakes, and features. The Ninja e-1 tips the scale at 309 pounds whereas the Z e-1 weighs 298 pounds–a lot less than the 361-pound Ninja and 363-pound Z400. These are ‘tare’ figures, though, so there’s a high chance these don’t include the battery packs. If that’s the case, expect these numbers to increase by at least 50 pounds (each bike has two batteries; ~25 pounds each). As for brakes, the setup comes from the discontinued Ninja 300 and Z300, instead of the 400s. Given the low weight and output, the 290 mm and 220 mm discs should be enough to slow you down with ease.

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Last but not least, features. The key element is the full-digital instrument cluster present on both electric Kawasakis. It’s expected to be a TFT unit, complete with smartphone connectivity bits. Thanks to previous filings by Kawasaki, we also know the display will have two battery level displays on each side, speed in the center, and other bits all around. There’s also a trademark for the term ‘e-boost’, hinting at a feature to boost performance for a few seconds.

Kawasaki gave us a first look at these at the EICMA, so that’s where we expect the production versions to break cover. They will probably go on sale in Europe and Britain first, followed by Team Green’s American dealerships in either early 2024 or mid-2024. You should also know the bikemaker has a hybrid EV in the works too. It’s also based on Kawasaki’s 400cc platform but promises the best of both worlds and more power. So if you’re an enthusiast like us, you should be more excited about that instead of these EVs.

Punya is an avid motorcyclist who's always up for a ride to the canyons or the racetrack. He insists his riding skills are better than his writing skills, even though he's worked with some world-renowned automotive websites.