Is the Kymco RevoNEX an electric motorcycle… fuelled by a soundtrack?
The electric Kymco RevoNEX motorcycle is teased ahead of the 2019 EICMA show and hints that it will come with its Acoustic Active Motor device
Taiwanese motorcycling firm Kymco has released one of the more interesting teaser videos ahead of the 2019 EICMA show at Milan, with the detective in us surmising it is readying an electric motorcycle named the Kymco RevoNEX equipped with an Acoustic Active Motor 'soundtrack' device.
First things first, there isn’t the hint of a motorcycle to be seen here so we can’t cast any wild or otherwise aspersions based on the flicker of a wheel trim or the colour scheme.
So, what do we definitely know? Well, we know the name. The Kymco RevoNEX, which in itself reveals this will be the latest addition to the electric ‘NEX’ range alongside the zero tailpipe emissions IoNEX scooter and the concept supersport SuperNEX [pictured]
Given these two models couldn’t be further apart, the RevoNEX could fall anywhere in a rather large gap from another scooter, to a sportsbike, or an A2 licence equivalent two-wheeler...
The video itself shows a variety of people from choice European cities being interviewed vox pop style about what the future of motoring will be and how a motorcycle should appeal.
Naturally, the answer to the former is centred around green and electric transportation – just to provide further confirmation to the aforementioned point – while the latter brings choice words like ‘high-tech’, 'exciting' and 'good acceleration'. It then ends with said people looking suitably impressed by what they are seeing on an iPad, keeping us successfully teased about what they could possibly be watching.
Will Kymco RevoNEX come with pre-programmed soundtrack?
However, there is one particular answer slipped in that turns our head – a bike should have an ‘exciting sound’.
It’s been a persistent complaint about electric motorcycles that the lack of sound – or rather, the muted whirring audio – doesn’t exactly stir the soul, but this teaser is notable for the fact the participants are wearing headphones when watching the iPad. Moreover, they are wired ones, as if to make sure we can see them.
It leads us to think the RevoNEX will be equipped with the Acoustic Active Motor device it first paraded on the SuperNEX in 2018.
Kymco stated at the time that riders need to feel an emotional connection with a motorcycle (interesting given the manufacturer’s focus on admittedly modest scooters).
“The motor has a multi-frequency acoustics generator that reconstructs the dynamic sounds of the motor with great authenticity,” it said when discussing the gizmo at the SuperNEX’s debut.
“Whether it is vrooming, roaring, rumbling, or screaming, every supersport bike has its own distinct sound that is different in tone, intensity, texture and delivery. It is not only a discrete projection of each machine, but also an outward declaration of the owner. The sound is the most important source of emotional engagement with a supersport motorcycle.
“The sound is the voice of the machine. Active Acoustic Motor gives riders the sound that speaks not only for the heart of the vehicle, but also for the soul of the rider.”
While SuperNEX already had this feature, that was a concept, whereas the RevoNEX gives us all the impressions that it’s a production ready model. We don’t believe it’s a scooter either – why pre-programme the non-descript sounds of a scooter?
Could it be a production-ready version of the SuperNEX? Perhaps…
