SOF Week 2023: USSOCOM will test electric motorcycles

The unique characteristics of the missions performed by SOF teams require them to be mobile and fast in any scenario. In order to offer soldiers additional options in terms of manoeuvrability, the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) will evaluate electric motorcycles in ​its next Technical Experimentation (TE 23-3) event.

Scheduled for ​5-9 June in ​Red Springs (North Carolina), the TE 23-3 will involve a demonstration of the technology developed by the California based-company Ryvid.

The supplier is showcasing its electric motorcycles at the SOF Week 2023 exhibition in Tampa, Florida. Its systems are designed to provide several operational advantages such as mobility, speed and range.

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The platforms on display are versions of the Anthem electric motorcycle, which features a modular architecture that allows for multiple mission profiles.

Speaking to Shephard, Mike Schumann, chief product officer at Ryvid, stressed that they are equipped with a powertrain which offers ‘a very quiet’ manoeuvrability.

‘There is a belt drive in addition to the electric powerplant which just makes this bike extremely quiet. That is one of the reasons why we think this is specifically interesting to the SOF community,’ Schumann noted.

Katie Klaft, the company’s VP of sales and customer success, explained that Anthem motorcycles require ‘very low maintenance’ and can be deployed in diverse environments.

‘The possibilities are endless. This system can be configured based on various military programmes, and we are going to be working on putting this bike through various tests and continue to develop and evolve to a bike that meets whatever military specs require’, she noted.

Anthem systems also have a removable 4.3 kWh battery pack that is built to be quickly and completely taken off for instant fill-ups.

Additionally, it is equipped with a full-screen display designed to be clear, contrasty and visible in bright sunlight, making key information like speed and state of charge legible at a glance.

Another feature is the lightweight stainless-steel chassis weighing less than 12 pounds (5.4 kg). 

‘It is more of an aerospace design and that allows us to make the bike very modular. So, the bikes have the same base frame, we have just added accessories to it,’ Klaft said.

Anthem’s architecture also comprises a low centre of gravity, rear-drive assembly with integrated motor and variable-ratio, final drive which is intended to simplify the design and reduce parts. In terms of range, it can reach 75 miles (120 km) and 75 mph (120 km/h).

Furthermore, those motorcycles provide an ergo-easy adjustable ride height seat ranging from 30 to 34 inches (76.2 to 86.36 cm). 

‘When you are riding, you can also raise the seat up so you can get a better visibility which is a handy feature,’ Schumann highlighted.