Police forces plug into the future by trialling Energica Experia electric motorcycle

Police forces in the UK have been trialling an Energica Experia electric motorcycle, with plans to introduce more battery powered vehicles into their fleets and rely less on fossil fuels.

First seen in MCN back in late May, the one-off enforcement machine was developed in partnership with the English Electric Motorcycle Co in Norfolk, who have since confirmed that it will be trialled by five police forces in 2023 – including Metropolitan and Merseyside.

On top of this, the Diss firm also told MCN it would be sampled by BikeSafe teams, the British Transport Police and private companies requiring quick response motorcycles – with the Cadent Gas distribution company recently taking delivery of a similarly specced bike, too.  

The internals and running gear remain the same as on the standard Experia road-biased adventure bike – meaning 0-60mph in a claimed 3.5 seconds, 80.5bhp at 7500rpm, and 85lbft of torque. There’s also said to be a real world riding range of between 80 and 130 miles, a charging capability of 20% – 80% in 20 minutes, and a standard overall weight of 260kg – before you’ve added any sirens.

To allow officers to carry out their duties, an additional 12v battery system is stored under the pillion seat, which provides power to the additions to the bike – including 12v charging ports for radios and other tech – when it’s switched off. When the bike is on, the main battery charges the extra power unit.  

According to an English Electric spokesperson, the draw created by the additional systems is minimal, with a full complement of flashing lights on the front, back and sides. There’s also a siren, plus the full Battenburg reflective livery – which has been specially made for the Experia.

Whether the bike will be taken on more widely by the police remains to be seen. Elsewhere, British engineering company White Motorcycle Concepts (WMC) have also announced plans to produce a new electric three-wheeler that can be ridden on a car licence for police forces and first responders.

Working with international powertrain company, Mahle the design is based around Yamaha’s Tricity 300, with funding from the Niche Vehicle Network, and support from the Department for Transport.