- MOREMORE
EV pioneer Savic Motorcycles has achieved two major manufacturing milestones on the road to commercial production, with the successful completion of their customised Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Bosch Australia, and the first all-weather road tests on urban and semi-rural roads.
Within Australia, it is a legal requirement for all road vehicles to be fitted with ABS units, and Savic chose to partner with Bosch Australia to develop the ABS for their high-performance C-Series motorcycles – which are due to arrive on Australian roads later this year.
“Bosch will be providing a motorcycle-specific ABS module for us, which will be used in every 11+ kW electric motorcycle that Savic Motorcycles will produce, starting with the C-Series,” said Dennis Savic, CEO and founder of Savic Motorcycles.
Development of the ABS program involved handing a 2022 C-Series prototype over to Bosch, which was fitted with the ABS module, an extensive range of sensors, and computing hardware and outriggers to safely test the braking system.
The ABS tuning phase was carried out over several months involving countless braking manoeuvres over a wide range of surfaces and speeds. Through an iterative process of testing, the ABS calibration is honed to provide the optimal balance of robustness, stability, performance, and comfort, ensuring a faultless and dependable ABS braking system.
“Our team enjoyed the challenge of integrating our ABS system with the EV tech on the Savic C-Series prototype.” said Joseph Cavallaro, Chassis Controls Engineering Manager, Bosch Australia.
The ABS program was a significant undertaking for Savic Motorcycles, starting in March 2022 and culminating in an approval that allows the leadership team to take the C-Series through the final milestone of Australian Design Rules (ADR) Government Compliance before commercial production commences and the first customers start receiving their motorcycles.
The C-Series prototype has passed its first comprehensive road test program , providing an effortless commute in Melbourne’s traffic and a confidence-boosting blast in challenging conditions on the winding roads of the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges.
Savic Motorcycles’ assembly technician Adam Wilson, who took the C-Series on its first spin back in October 2021, described the new 2022 prototype’s performance in its latest and most wide-ranging series of test rides as “flawless”.
“Melbourne laid on typically diverse weather for our first series of comprehensive road tests, which included dry-weather commutes in heavy traffic to wet-weather rides with some fog and sleet on the looping roads of the Black Spur,” said Mr Wilson.
“Within a few kilometers, we had high-speed dry straights and tight turns in a downpour, and the bike didn’t even notice. We got to do everything, some durability, some wet-weather riding, and the bike was flawless and didn’t put up a single complaint.
“We even had charge left over at the end of a very full day – which gives us a lot of confidence that the C-Series will look after even the most dedicated and enthusiastic riders.”
Mr Wilson described the C-Series’ city performance as “a continuing revelation”, even after dozens of rides. “When it comes to stop-start riding on busy roads, the bike does the job really well,” he said. “It’s so easy to put it where you want it and just twist, and off you go.
“I’m still inspired by how effortless it is to just jump on and go. There’s no start up, warm up, or putting it in gear… you just twist the throttle and away you go. It’s so simple.”
Completion of the ABS program and the latest road tests have enabled Savic Motorcycles to progress component acquisition and tooling in readiness for imminent production, together with a busy schedule of ADR tests and vehicle certification over the coming months.
It’s a positive step towards bringing manufacturing back to Australia and having fun while doing it.
Savic Motorcycles is an award-winning developer of high-performance electric motorcycles and custom e-mobility solutions based in Melbourne. Launched in 2018, the company has received grant funding from the Australian and Victorian Governments, and its flagship C-Series motorcycle has won two Good Design Awards and the prestigious Victorian Premier’s Design Award of the Year. With the C-Series in imminent commercial production, the company is expanding its EV platform technology for local and global markets.
CREDITS: The Pack
