Triple-battery modular tactical e-moto hauls major loads up to 125 miles

Years of electric vehicle (EV) democratization now leads us to Canada – the electric light-utility manufacturer NorthForge, to be precise. The firm has just recently launched the Dispatch, an electric tactical motorcycle that’s meant for military use.

NorthForge calls it ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), a light tactical motorcycle that’s built for extreme climates and modern warfare. And unlike most defense-oriented motorcycles that are based on consumer vehicles, the Dispatch was created from the ground up.

"The Dispatch didn’t start as some dream we had, or theories we derived from reading articles or watching videos," said Trevor Hayter, chief executive officer and founder of NorthForge. "The design was developed over more than three years, working with active CAF members and other key stakeholders and advisors.

"Some earlier iterations and concepts were tested and failed, just as most up-fitted consumer models we investigated. Our conclusions and final specifications came from military service members themselves and via real-world testing."

It’s worth noting that the Dispatch has only just completed its design phase, with the bike being readied for trials. So details remain scant. But here’s what we know so far.

The e-moto comes with three battery packs, supplied by SysNergie of Magog, Canada, which specializes in rugged, mission-critical battery systems. The whole thing weighs close to 308 lb (140 kg). That’s the same weight class as 300cc ICE enduros.

The three battery packs combine to give around 125 miles (200 km) of range. NorthForge claims that even if two of the three battery packs were to fail, the bike would still run. Of course, these are swappable packs, meaning the batteries can be removed and replaced in under a minute.

The electric motorcycle reaches a top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h), while coming with around 440-lb (200 kg) cargo carrying capacity – thanks to five dedicated hard points on the chassis and two additional racks on the forks. The seat height is listed at 30.7 in (780 mm), which is low enough to suit a variety of riders.

The bike is built as per Canada's inaugural Defense Industrial Strategy. At the heart of this is the idea that the new Defense Investment Agency will give preference to Canadian companies and manufacturing along the defense supply chain. Over the next 10 years, Canadian businesses will have access to $180 billion in defense procurement opportunities thanks to this plan. The end result? Over 80% of Dispatch is made in Canada, with the remainder of the parts being sourced through NATO nations.

The Dispatch is made with an all-aluminum monocoque construction that helps simplify field repairs, assembly, and modification using basic tools. Apparently, you’d be able to disassemble the entire bike with just one tool, and then even reassemble it from a 5 x 3 x 2-ft crate in a matter of minutes.

Michael Uhlarik, motorcycle designer and Chief Product Officer at NorthForge, emphasized that the new bike is built to survive being dropped, fully laden, and repeatedly for 10 years in 100% humidity, at -35 °Celsius (-31 °F), and on substrates that are not conducive to machinery, including sand.

More details are still to come. But one thing’s for sure: this bike will not be produced for the masses. It’s strictly for military use. Though there’s a big part of me that would have absolutely loved to be able to see one, ride it, take it apart, and put it back together – and test NorthForge’s claims.

Source: NorthForge