2022 marked a huge year for Savic Motorcycles, hitting various milestones on their journey to commercial production of their electric motorbike, the C Series. 2023 is set to be even bigger, with confirmation they’ve achieved ADR compliance and registered their first bike.
What better time to sit down with the man behind the brand, Dennis Savic, than right now, as his brainchild moves to full production. The founder and CEO heads a company that picked up two Victorian Premier’s design awards.
They also scored an Australia ByDesign Innovation award, leading to a feature spot on season three of America ByDesign. But life isn’t all about accolades, the company hit several engineering milestones too, including the first comprehensive road tests.
They also developed a new ABS system in partnership with Bosch, passed Australian Design Rules approval, registering their first Savic Motorcycles C-Series Alpha in Victoria. Final prep is now underway for the completion and delivery of customer bikes.
“The first production will start late January and the first five bikes will be completed by the end of February,” Savic said. “Total customer production will be between 80 and 100 units for 2023.”
It’s worth noting the company has almost sold out its first two production runs, totalling some 240 bikes. Test ride tours are planned for locations around Australia in 2023 too, with the Savic hoping to sell additional electric motorcycles.
That electric component is key too, essential to all that is Savic Motorcycles.
“I started designing EV concepts when I was around 16-years-old,” Savic said. “I was aware of the performance and design freedom it afforded, especially when designed from the ground up,” he added.
“I didn’t see longevity in designing ICE powered motorbikes, plus there are green benefits.”
Available in two specifications, the C-Series can be had as the Delta at $19,990 ride away and the Alpha, which is offered at $26,990 ride away. The former has a range of 150km, with the latter able to stretch to 200km plus. Technology could advance that further.
“The biggest advancement from where we started to where we are now is the supply base for Lithium and MC chemistry,” Savic said. “Access to products at an affordable price will allow for greater supply and improved range.”
Ironically, the rise of some stiff competition from Harley-Davidson stand-alone brand LiveWire, Canadian electric performance bike builder Damon, street and dual use EV bike brand Zero, and Energica could drive advances in battery technology and bike design too.
“A lot of the inspiration for the C-Series came from chief of design Dave Hendroff and my interest in classic styling, paired with advanced technology,” Savic said. “I wanted a design that stands the test of time, and café racers have done just that.”
The Savic Motorcycles C-Series combines cutting edge powertrain technology with a lithium-ion battery, advanced suspension and sophisticated software, bundled together in a uniquely designed package that has a real retro feel.
The Delta variant delivers 40kW of power and 140+Nm of torque. It’s capable of sprinting to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. The Alpha offers 60kW of power and 200+Nm of torque. It gets to 100km/h in an estimated 3.5 seconds.
To find out more about Savic Motorcycles, visit their website.
