Imagine pulling over for a coffee and gaining another 60 miles of range before your cup cools. That’s the kind of promise BBM Motorcycles is making with its new Hiro platform. The Spanish-built modular EV aims to blend rapid charging with everyday versatility — and in doing so, it might just rewrite the rules for small-to-mid electric motorcycles.
The Bilbao-based company has introduced the Hiro, which boasts fast charging along with great performance and sustainable design. It’s claimed to gain about 62 miles (100 km) of range in just a nine-minute charge, effectively making it one of the fastest-charging electric bikes yet.
That’s via DC ultra-fast charging, which powers it up to 80% in a mere 15 minutes. And it’s not a teeny battery pack you’d be charging either: It’s a 12.96-kWh pack that can hold enough charge for up to 137 miles (220 km).
BBM Motorcycles
And even if you can’t find a DC charger, the same 80% charge will take 78 minutes using a Type 2 AC charger (the type of EV charger you’re more likely to find in a home). That’s about two hours and 40 minutes for a standard 220-V socket.
The company was founded by the same people behind the Angry Lane custom store: brothers Benoit and Guillaume Barras. Development also involved Belgian EV specialist Sarolea, known for its work in the Isle of Man TT Zero.
Perhaps most intriguingly, the Hiro isn’t a single motorcycle, but rather a modular platform that can be adapted across a variety of categories, from streetfighter and roadster to café racer and scrambler. “Our experience has taught us that every rider is looking for something special, and the Hiro is designed for this purpose,” said Benoit Barras, Co-Founder at BBM.
BBM Motorcycles
Power comes from an electric motor rated at 94 horsepower and 110.6 lb-ft (150 Nm) of torque, which helps the motorcycle reach a top speed of 118 mph (190 km/h). For a bike that weighs only 441 lb (200 kg), that’s pretty impressive.
Construction is mainly bio-composites rather than plastics, and even though it’s not the lightest motorcycle I’ve ever seen, it is lighter than most comparable ICE motos – something most riders will appreciate.
While big players like Zero and LiveWire have been in the game for a while, BBM’s approach is refreshingly practical. Instead of chasing extreme performance, the Hiro focuses on charging speed, weight savings, and platform flexibility – three factors that could make EV motorcycling more viable for everyday riders.
And the wait won’t be long. BBM says it will be ready with final pre-production prototypes of the Hiro in the second half of next year. A potential price of €16,900 (around US$20,000) is being touted.
BBM Motorcycles
But how does BBM’s newcomer stack up against the likes of the Zero SR/S, which is perhaps the most established electric moto around this price point/performance level? Power-wise, the SR/S still leads, producing 111 hp and 140 lb-ft (190 Nm) of torque to Hiro’s 94 hp and 110.6 lb-ft (150 Nm).
The SR/S also packs a larger 17.3-kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering up to 171 miles (275 km) of city range – expandable to nearly 21 kWh with Zero’s optional Power Tank.
Construction and charging speeds are where the Hiro truly excels. It not only weighs less – 441 lb (200 kg) compared to the SR/S’s 518 lb (235 kg) – but the newcomer’s modular design could be its biggest selling point. It could all come down to how easy BBM makes it for people to change the motorcycle’s style on their own.
When it finally hits the streets, the question is: would you take a US$20,000 bet on something like this?
Source: BBM Motorcycles
