The Kawasaki Ninja is not just another motorcycle, but rather a historical emblem in the two-wheeled universe. She became world famous in the 1980s with the first Top Gun. It reappeared in 2022 with the sequel to that classic film, with an even more furious new variant that Tom Cruise accelerated again. And now, the Japanese brand already shows the electrified evolution of the icon: the ninja plug-in.

The Asian company’s plans are geared towards full electrification of its range. Kawasaki took advantage of the celebration of the Suzuka 8 Hours to show two of its great advances in the field: a smaller, fully electric one, derived from the Z 250, and a monstrous hybrid reminiscent of the Ninja 650 Rwhich has a combustion engine integrated by another plug-in.

The bikes, identified on their sides with the initials EV (the electric one) and HEV (the hybrid one), turned the track a few minutes before the start of the famous Japanese race, without any announcement or declaration: only one lap and the pits. But it was enough to attract the attention of the most curious.

How is the Kawasaki Ninja hybrid

Due to its size, it’s not the sister of the Ninja H2 Carbon that appears in Top Gun: Maverick and was driven by Tom Cruise, but rather it’s a bit smaller. In keeping with its aesthetic, the HEV model’s internal combustion engine is based on those of the Ninja 250 and Ninja 400 – not for nothing the exhaust is so similar to that of those models -, while the fork, braking system and the front fender looks more like the Ninja 650.

The electric drive, meanwhile, sits above the transmission and connects to the gearbox with its own electrically operated clutch, without a physical lever or clutch handle – instead, it has a semi-automatic system with a switch. It’s powered by a rear-mounted 48-volt battery, while another 12v takes care of the rest of the bike’s electrical components.

With this, the kawasaki lens is that in the city this model can move exclusively thanks to the electric motor, while on the road, at constant speed, the internal combustion engine can operate both to deliver more power and speed and to recharge the battery.

In the case of the EV model, which is smaller and looks inspired not so much by the Ninja series as by the Kawasaki Z250 – but obviously without an exhaust pipe. it stores its batteries where in another context the combustion engine would have been, next to the electric motor.

Although the arrival of more technical information is imminent, the advantages of both models are not known at the moment. Although, for reference, the data revealed by Kawasaki when the evolution began to be talked about, indicated that it had arrived 4-speed manual transmission and regenerative braking system.

However, it is better to take this data with pliers, because between one prototype and another there are light years away, starting with the batteries themselves, which were previously large, and the fact that they had a similar fast charging system. to cars.

Kawasaki electric piano

The novelty of Kawasaki motorcycles is a logical step in the Akashi house plan reach 2025 with a minimum of 10 electric or hybrid modelsjust as it was announced last year but to date, despite just over two years having passed, it has not yet yielded results in the form of new market launches.

It is a decision that responds to a commitment to the environment but also to be in tune with the regulations of the various markets: in Europe, for example, in 2035 they will say goodbye to combustion engines. And Kawasaki hopes to do the same and be up to the task by then.

Currently, the first products with electric motors of the brand would see the light next year – it has been learned that two models have already been registered in the United States – even if Kawasaki will hardly advance information before the Milan Motorcycle Show, the great two-wheel event in northern Italy which in this 2022 will be open to the public between 10 and November 13.