Bob Dylan did it in 1964, and they made a movie about it. And now Suzuki has followed in Lucky Wilberry’s footsteps and gone electric. In overseas markets, Suzuki has launched the e-Address scooter as its first modern electric motorcycle. Sort of.
Like machines from the competition at Honda in particular, the e-Address is a utilitarian runabout aimed at the commuting market. It is not intended as a high-powered luxo-barge like BMW’s electric maxi-scooters, and certainly not intended as a highway-capable motorcycle like Energica’s lineup (speaking of which, Energica has now gone bust, following a lot of other companies into the electric moto cemetery).
Some key features:
- The e-Address has an electric motor with 4kW of power, or the equivalent of 5.4 hp, with 11 lb-ft of torque. It comes with three drive modes that change the feedback of the regenerative braking system, or otherwise change power delivery to offer more speed or better battery performance;
- The onboard lithium iron phosphate battery has 3.07-kWh capacity, good for 87 kilometers of range, supposedly. Recharge time is 6.7 hours to get from 0-100%. It’s a fixed battery; no quick-swap arrangement here, even though Suzuki is working on that technology with other partners. The battery charges from a standard household outlet, with charger included.
- Combined braking is standard; the left-hand lever controls both front and rear brakes, while the right-hand lever controls only the front.
- The e-Address comes with a keyless ride system, and the 17-liter underseat compartment can also be opened with the remote fob. Suzuki’s Connect-E app lets you control the info on the TFT LCD dash, and you can use an onboard 2A USB charger to keep your phone powered up.
At this point, we know this is a global product, not just intended for sale in Asia like some of the original battery-powered scooters. That doesn’t mean it’s going to come to North America, though, and at this point we have seen no indication from Suzuki Canada to expect it here soon, or ever.
