This Tiny Electric Motorcycle Packs a Formidable Range
With a stylish, minimalist design to boot.
Good things sometimes come in “smol” packages and that’s true for electric motorcycles, too.
J2R Dynamics, a French startup making e-motos, is getting ready to reveal its first product, the Smol. As the name implies, it’s a small form factor that tucks a chunky battery into its minimalist frame. While it’s not meant for grand touring like some 450-mile range e-motorcycles, the Smol is ideal for commuting around a city.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen a no-frills electric motorcycle, with other brands like Zero offering their attractive premium designs. Unlike other city commuters we’ve seen from major brands like BMW or Harley-Davidson, J2R Dynamics has made its Smol stand out, offering a trimmed-down bike that still has a decent range.
The Smol will have a signature headlight with the J2R Dynamics’ logo.
A Perfect City Commuter
The bike is still being designed, but so far, J2R Dynamics expects the Smol to run on an 8kW motor that will translate to a top speed of 110 km/h, or around 68 mph. The company plans for the Smol to come in both Road and Scrambler versions, where it looks like the main difference will be the knobbier tires. The Smol doesn’t have any suspension details revealed yet, but it looks like there’s at least an option at the rear.
The Smol will run off a swappable battery that offers 150 km, or around 93 miles, with two batteries. J2R Dynamics explains that having just one battery on the Smol reduces its overall weight, while still providing enough range to do most things. When you do need the extra range, you can quickly switch to a spare battery and start recharging the drained one.
The custom headlight for the Smol will help it stand out.
Debuting Soon
J2R Dynamics plans to show off the Smol in person at the Albi Eco Race in France later this month. After that, the startup will launch a crowdfunding campaign for the electric motorcycle where only 50 “Pioneer Editon” models will be made. This first batch of Smol e-motorcycles will be numbered and limited edition, according to J2R Dynamics.
On J2R Dynamics’ website, the Smol has a starting price of €9,450 or around $10,000. That feels like a high price tag for an electric motorcycle with less than 100 miles of range, but it makes sense when you consider the company is trying to source most of Smol’s components within Europe. While that probably leads to higher manufacturing costs, the company says it should mean better repairability and replaceable parts for its e-moto.
