Riding on the EV bandwagon, Royal Enfield, the motorcycle division of Eicher Motors, will launch its maiden electric motorcycle under the EV sub-brand ‘Flying Flea’. The rollout will begin with the introduction of the C6 model during the January–March 2026 quarter, followed by the launch of the S6, the company confirmed.
“Both these products are very different and they are going to come in Q4 FY25-26. It (Flying Flea) is only a starting point, as it can lend itself to the various form factors which we will keep looking at,” B Govindarajan, Managing Director, Eicher Motors and CEO, Royal Enfield, told ETAuto.
The thought behind Flying Flea is to offer “urban and city-focused electric two wheelers for the future, which is timeless yet modern technology and design, which is embedded into the motorcycle,” Govindarajan said during the company’s post earnings media call.
However, the team is still deliberating on the retail strategy for electric motorcycles. “That’s something we’re currently evaluating—whether to go with the existing retail format, set up exclusive stores, or adopt a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model. A decision is expected to be finalised by the next quarter.”
First unveiled at the International Motorcycle and Accessories Exhibition (EICMA) last year, the C6 is currently undergoing testing, with all suppliers already onboarded.
With a dedicated EV team of around 250 members, Govindarajan also confirmed that Flying Flea will not be established as a separate subsidiary or business unit at this stage. Instead, it will continue to operate as an integral part of Royal Enfield.
In December 2022, the company made a strategic investment in European electric motorcycle manufacturer Stark Future SL.
Govindarajan noted that Stark brings technical expertise to the table in key areas such as material selection, battery technology, battery management systems (BMS), motors, motor controllers, and winding techniques. On Eicher’s part, it brings an understanding of scale—supporting the supply chain, manufacturing select components, and sourcing parts as needed.
He said the companies are collaboratively working on enhancing modularity and achieving more compact designs, adding that the partnership is steadily evolving– much like the long-standing joint venture between Volvo and Eicher.
While electric scooters continue to dominate India’s electric two-wheeler market, the electric motorcycle segment is still occupied by a limited number of startup brands, collectively accounting for around 1,000 units in sales. These include Ultraviolette, Revolt, Hop Electric, Oben, Raptee, Matter, among others.
