Official: Energica adds faster ‘RS’ models for 2021

Italian EV brand Energica is continuing to forge its position as the leading high-performance electric bike firm in 2021 with the launch of new ‘RS’ versions of all three of its models.

The Energica Ego+ faired sports bike, Eva Ribelle streetfighter and Eva EsseEsse9 roadster will all be offered in RS form, with order books for the machines opening this month. Based on the existing “+” versions of the bikes, with 21.5kWh battery packs, the RS machines get remapped electronics to improve their performance, developed using lessons learnt from the firm’s experience in MotoE racing.

While peak power remains unchanged at a claimed 145hp (107kW), allied to 159lbft of torque (215Nm), the electronic tweaks – with new mapping and changed parameters – are claimed to reduce the bikes’ 0-60mph times from 2.8s to 2.6s. Top speed is the same as the existing models – electronically restricted to 150mph on the faired Ego and 125mph on the naked Ribelle and EsseEsse9 versions. The 143 mile range shared by all the bikes is also unchanged.

Giampiero Testoni, Energica’s chief technical officer, said: “The name is the acronym for Reparto Sportivo - Sport Department, a tribute to our team for the incredible engineering and technical work carried out in these 10 years from both road and racing point of view, with involvement in MotoE.”

As well as the improved performance, the RS models all get a stronger 525 Regina O-ring chain to cope with their stronger acceleration. ‘RS’ graphics mark them out from their lesser siblings, and the RS versions of the Eva Ribelle and Eva EsseEsse9+ are also given a standard USB port, with the same offered as an option on the Ego+ RS. Keyless go is set to be an optional accessory on all the bikes in 2021.

While Energica says the 2021 RS models will be available to order from November, there’s currently no word on how much pricier they’ll be than the stock “+” models, which currently start at €20,894 for the Eva EsseEsse9+, rising to €22,943 for the Eva Ribelle and €24,419 for the Ego+.