NAWA Technologies Unveils Hybrid EV Motorbike with Ultracapacitors

NAWA to formally announce this ‘concept’ EV Motorbike at CES 2020.

The NAWA Racer Ultracapacitor E-Bike is a concept from, NAWA Technologies. NAWA sounds like it is a Japanese, or perhaps a Chinese company. But no – in fact they are based in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France! And NAWA isn’t even a motorcycle manufacturer as such.  They are actually a maker of ‘next generation ultra-fast energy storage systems’. Their core product offering is what they term an ‘ultracapacitor’. NAWA claim that their ultracapacitors offer “ten times more power and five times more energy than existing ultracapacitors”.

…ten times more power and five times more energy than existing ultracapacitors.

The idea is to combine the ultracapacitor with a traditional lithium-ion battery. They have produced a concept electric motorbike styled as a 1960’s café racer!

The NAWA Racer Ultracapacitor E-Bike Capabilities.

Called the ‘NAWA Racer’ the revolutionary bike re-uses 80 percent of the energy otherwise lost in braking. This means a 300km urban range while delivering a weight saving of 25%. The bike will weigh in at around 150kg – much lighter than conventional electric sports bikes. The Racer can rocket from 0 to 100 km/h in under three seconds. Top speed is in excess of 160 km/h. The NAWA Racer’s ultracapacitor is removable to enable swapping for ones of differing capabilities. This allow riders to tune the behavior of the machine to their liking.

NAWA Racer E-Bike Energy Reuse.

The 10kg ultracapacitor – the ‘NAWACap’  – enables the reuse of 80% of the energy captured from regenerative braking. This compares well with lithium-ion that can only re-use 30%. This capability enables a much smaller lithium-ion battery than would otherwise be possible to be used on the superbike.

Charging the NAWA Racer.

The Racer delivers around 150km range on a normal highway run. However, it really shines in the city where the high proportion of start – stop driving lets the NAWACap work its magic. In urban setting the NAWA Racer produces around 300km on a single charge. At home the motorbike charges very quickly. The NAWACap pack recharges in just two minutes. The entire battery charges to 80% in one hour from a normal home supply.

The NAWA Racer is really a technology demonstrator.

Ulrik Grape, CEO of NAWA Technologies, said: “The NAWA Racer is our vision for the electric motorbike of tomorrow. A retro-inspired machine, but one that is thoroughly modern. It is lightweight, fast and fun, perfect for an emission-free city commute that will put a smile on your face. But it also lays down a blueprint for the future. NAWA Technologies’ next-gen ultracapacitors have unleashed the potential of the hybrid battery system . And – this powertrain design is fully scale-able. The technology is also applicable for a larger motorbike, car or other electric vehicle. And what is more, this technology could go into production in the very near future”.

Ultracapacitors – the core focus of NAWA

NAWA Technologies’ core market is the production of its next-generation ultracapacitor cells.  Development is completed, and 10 M€ funding already raised from historical and new investors.  NAWA Technologies begins the mass production phase over the coming year. A first of its kind cell production line will be installed at its Aix-en-Provence facility.  At full production, NAWA expects to achieve a capacity of in excess of 300,000 cells per month.

The NAWA Technologies will formally announce the NAWA Racer at CES 2020 in January. Unfortunately, as a ‘concept’ bike, it’s unlikely to be seen on our roads any time soon.