Horwin Senmenti 0: 125mph electric scooter with superbike acceleration

A few years ago Tesla took the car world by storm by creating practical electric vehicles with far longer ranges than their rivals and acceleration that shamed the fastest supercars. Now China’s Horwin appears to be trying the same for motorcycles with the Senmenti 0 – which looks like a mild-mannered scooter but has the performance to see off all but the quickest sports bikes.

The bare figures include a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of just 2.8 seconds. That’s on a par with some of the quickest bikes on the planet and reflects the Senmenti 0’s 600Nm of torque at the rear wheel (442lb-ft) and instant power delivery. The top speed, claimed at 200km/h (124mph) might not be quite as impressive, but electric vehicles typically suffer when it comes to flat-out pace, and it’s still more than fast enough for road use with plenty to spare.

The performance comes courtesy of a 400-volt electrical system, with a battery in the floor and a hefty-looking electric motor with direct drive to the rear wheel via a silent belt. The battery and motor are connected in an integrated pack, along with the control electronics, to eliminate the need for additional wiring between them.

Horwin is also making impressive claims for the Senmenti 0’s range, which is rated at 186 miles (300km). And you don’t have to crawl along to achieve it, as that range comes at a constant 55mph. When the battery does run flat, Horwin says it can take as little as 30 minutes to recharge from 0 to 80% capacity, as it can take advantage of the sort of rapid chargers that are normally only suitable for electric cars. For riders needing more range, the firm is also promising to off an additional battery as a range-extender.

The Senmenti name is intended to sound like the Chinese for ‘organism’, because as well as performance the Senmenti 0 is packed with sensors and cameras – more than 30 in total – to make it aware of its condition and surroundings. As well as ABS and traction control, it features tyre pressure sensors and a collision alert system, plus keyless go, cameras that act as dashcams, multiple riding modes, a reverse mode and more mundane equipment like heated grips and seat.

While some of the performance and range claims might sound like the stuff of concept bikes, the Senmenti 0 is due to go into production in mid-2023, and Horwin is already accepting €100 pre-orders via its website for customers who want to get an early spot on the waiting list.

Horwin has also revealed the Senmenti X concept bike, using essentially similar technology as the production Senmenti 0 but wrapped in futuristic feet-forward styling and featuring a hub-centre steering system. Although claiming much the same performance figures as the Senmenti 0 including an identical range and top speed, and 0-62mph acceleration of under 3 seconds, there’s no word on the Senmenti X reaching production. Given that its design would need substantial changes to be road legal, and that such feet-forward machines rarely get as far as showrooms, don’t bank on the ‘X’ ever going further than being a concept model.