Because the inception of Tesla, EV enthusiasts have hoped for the announcement of an all-electric motorcycle from the EV innovator. The Tesla Motorcycle has been repeatedly requested, and concept designers have rendered all types of possible looks for this long-awaited electric ride. But is Tesla actually considering a two-wheeled EV in 2023? What are the Tesla Motorcycle’s specs? When could we see production of a Tesla Motorcycle?
In today’s post, we’ll cover each what we all know and what we speculate in regards to the Tesla Motorcycle and its possible production. Later, we’ll go over whether or not it’s best to wait for Tesla to place their Motorcycle into production, and which alternative budget-friendly Tesla options you possibly can consider immediately.
Model M: Tesla Motorcycle Price, Specs, and Battery Range
For full disclosure, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Elon’s personal stance on motorcycles firstly of this text. When answering an issue from an investor in 2018, Elon did attempt to end speculation on whether or not Tesla would ever construct an electrical motorcycle:
“I actually used to ride motorcycles once I was a child. I used to be into dirt biking for like 8 years or something. Then I had a road bike until I used to be 17 once I was almost killed by a truck so we aren’t going to do motorcycles.” (Tesla Shareholder Meeting, June fifth, 2018, motorcycle query starts at 1:11:38 on Tesla’s video)
While this looks as if a really definitive answer to the query of whether or not Tesla will make a Motorcycle, Elon has also been known to alter his mind every now and then. And while Elon can have personal reservations in regards to the safety of motorcycles, the general public’s desire for a more cost-effective EV solution than the lowest-priced Tesla—currently the Model 3—remains to be very high. We all know that speculation in regards to the Model 2’s price and release date comes from an analogous need for affordability.
With that out of the way in which, let’s talk specs:
Tesla Motorcycle Specs: Potential Range and Performance
For Tesla’s motorcycle, affordability would probably be balanced against performance. In any case, who buys a state-of-the-art electric motorcycle from a tech-savvy automaker simply to get from point A to point B without some fun in between?
Assuming that Tesla does find yourself creating an electrical motorcycle called the Model M (or calls it something else, because Tesla’s acronym S3XY CARS gets weird if you happen to add an M), here’s what we’d see for its body type, features, and battery range.
First, we’d expect that the Model M would follow within the footsteps of the remainder of Tesla’s lineup, with the primary bike giving as much speed, comfort, and range as Tesla’s engineering department can get out of a two-wheeled vehicle package. For that reason, the Model M (a minimum of in a primary release) would likely be a sport touring design, maximizing comfort for travel without sacrificing speed and handling.
Regarding range, Tesla currently sets the minimum allowable range of their vehicles at about 300 miles. Could an electrical motorcycle design reach that goal? To date, only a few electric motorcycle designs have attempted a spread higher than 200 miles per charge at highway speeds, with most typically falling within the 100-200 mile range bracket.
For instance, the 22.5 kWh battery within the Energica Expiria (an electrical motorcycle we assume would qualify as a Tesla competitor) delivers about 130 miles of range at highway speeds. While the Expiria’s battery capability is on the larger side for an electrical motorcycle, we’d expect an analogous size for any potential Tesla moto, somewhere between a 20 and 25 kWh pack.
Could Tesla engineers determine find out how to make an electrical motorcycle with 300 miles of range on a 20-25 kWh battery pack? We’d prefer to think so; at that time, a Tesla Motorcycle would come near matching the longest range even for ICE motorcycles.
So far as the Model M’s potential charging speed is worried, Tesla’s current charging technology standards should apply to any EV they produce inside the following couple of years. We’d expect to see a Tesla Model M charging time at around 30-45 minutes to full on the Supercharger and a charging time of 44 miles of range per hour on a Level 2 home charger. A trickle charge times of about 10-20 miles of range per hour can be likely, supplying you with somewhere between half and full range on an overnight charge.
What about 0-60 time and top speed? We will’t imagine Tesla letting the Harley-Davidson LiveWire ONE boast a faster acceleration, so the Model M would probably have a 0 – 60 mph time of lower than 3 seconds. Top speed will likely be less impressive, but only because Tesla does are inclined to limit that factor on their vehicles. We wouldn’t anticipate the Model M doing greater than 175 mph; more likely, the highest speed limit can be set at a conservative 125-150 mph to guard the battery’s range.
Finally, would a Tesla Model M motorcycle include some version of Autopilot? Truthfully, probably not. Motorcycles take quite loads of human input, which is why many riders are drawn to motorcycles in the primary place. To make a very autonomous motorcycle, Tesla would must sacrifice economy for safety, space for on-board electronics, and an extra lack of range from the additional equipment. These are all things that could be far more easily done inside a four-wheeled vehicle. But a scaled-down version of Tesla’s software that only provides riders with information and imaging could possibly be helpful.
With all of those specs in mind, let’s move on to Model M pricing:
How Much Would a Tesla Motorcycle Cost?
A possible Model M would enter what’s becoming a somewhat saturated marketplace for electric motorcycles, so it probably wouldn’t fall into the range of least expensive (just like the $5,000-$6,000 SONDORS Metacycle or the lower than $3,000 CSC City Slicker). Likely, a Tesla Model M would go into competition with the likes of the Harley Davidson LiveWire ONE, which has an MSRP of $22,799.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Arc Vector, which does reach specs much closer to what we’d optimistically hope for on a Tesla Model M, costs as much as a brand new Model S (the Vector has an MSRP of around $120,000).
A more reasonable competitor comparison for price and features is perhaps the Energica Experia. With an MSRP of 23,750 and the judicious choice to buy a 5-year battery warranty for just over $1000, the Experia falls in the upper middle range of costs for electric motorcycles. With Experia prices as a baseline, a possible Tesla Model Model M motorcycle price would probably land closer to $25,000 or higher with the range and performance features we’ve already discussed.
To assist with affordability, would a Tesla Model M electric motorcycle be eligible for the Clean Vehicle Credit? While it might potentially meet pricing and sourcing criteria and might arguably meet the “Other Vehicles” clause within the laws, commentators on the brand new laws say that electric motorcycles have been not noted. We hope to see them included in future amendments to the laws (2023 and beyond), but as of 2022, the Federal Credit for electric motorcycles has expired.
If Tesla does determine to pursue the electrical motorcycle market, how soon could the Model M be produced? Let’s take a take a look at a possible timeline:
Tesla Motorcycle Release Date: Possible Motorcycle Production Timeline
We’ll be honest, with Tesla still working on production of the Cybertruck and Semi and striving with the remainder of the auto industry to beat production delays because of global shortages, we don’t see how they’d make space for a brand new motorcycle line any time in 2022, 2023, or 2024. Even when Elon suddenly modified his mind about electric motorcycles, it isn’t likely that one would hit the production line until 2025 or later.
If the Tesla Motorcycle ever does get the green light, though, Tesla has proven that they will and can pivot quickly when vital. With the manufacturing experience that Tesla has earned through over a decade of manufacturing EVs on a big scale, creating an electrical motorcycle line wouldn’t be too difficult a task for them to tackle head-on. If the choice were made in the following 12 months or two, it might be unsurprising to see Tesla Motorcycles rolling off the assembly line by 2025.
Is Waiting for the Tesla Electric Motorcycle Value It?
Waiting for Tesla to come back out with a product which Elon himself has refused to contemplate and that will need a fresh production line of its own doesn’t seem to be a sensible selection right now. Nevertheless, we do think it’s value keeping an eye fixed out for.
Within the meantime, it might probably be helpful so that you can do a fast self-assessment to find out what it’s you really need from a Tesla motorcycle. Is it the reduced energy usage for a commute? Are you in search of a low-cost EV solution? A fun technique to spend your weekends? Or are you a Tesla fan and avid motorcycle enthusiast who just wants your favorite mode of transportation to have Tesla’s touch to it?
If greener energy usage, lower costs, and Tesla technology are the explanations you’re searching for out a Tesla Model M motorcycle, we’d love so that you can stop and consider a used Model 3 or a used, older generation of the Model S. While they don’t offer the solo freedom of the open road that a Tesla Motorcycle would, you may enjoy them at prices we’d expect to see in the brand new electric motorcycle market, but with higher range (and all-season use). Then, if Tesla does change its tune on electric motorcycles and also you get a chance to purchase a Model M—or Model Z, Tesla Moto, whatever they could determine to call it—you’ll have already got a vehicle to trade.
When you are set on finding an electrical motorcycle in the following 12 months or so, take a look at among the brands we mentioned earlier (reminiscent of SONDORS, Energica, and the LiveWire lineup).
Finally, whilst you won’t see a used Tesla Motorcycle on the market in our listings anytime soon, yow will discover a used Tesla Model 3 or a used Tesla Model S able to go immediately. Try our used Tesla listings today to seek out your next ride!