- Royal Enfield has created a sub-brand dedicated to producing electric motorcycles, dubbed ‘Flying Flea’
- The inaugural Flying Flea FF-C6 motorcycle is a lightweight electric motorcycle combining standard and bobber styling
- Flying Flea will focus on mid-weight and small-bore EVs, with production and manufacturing based in both the India and the UK
Royal Enfield has announced the launch of its electric motorcycle sub-brand. Dubbed Flying Flea, the name nods to the lightweight motorcycles the then-British company produced for the British War Office during the second world war. The Royal Enfield WD/RE was better known by its unofficial moniker, the ‘Flying Flee’, named so for their lightweight nature and the fact that they were designed to be airdropped from military planes.
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The sub-brand has debuted with the Flying Flea FF-C6, a retro-style roadster that fuses standard and bobber styling. The FF-FC is constructed around a forged aluminium frame wrapped around a magnesium batter case and paired with a nostalgic aluminium girder-style fork. Designed to be approachable for new riders while providing a driving experience seasoned bikers will enjoy, the electric powertrain features automatic twist-and-go throttle free from clutch, gears, and shifting. Belying its old-school cool aesthetic, it’s replete with modern features, including phone-as-key technology, a round TFT dash, five ride modes, anti-lock brakes, adjustable power, regenerative braking, and traction control.
Royal Enfield has yet to disclose all-important specifications like riding range, recharge times, and top speed.
Much like Harley-Davidson’s Livewire sub-brand, Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea will be a marque exclusively dedicated to the design and production of electric motorcycles. Drawing from the heritage the British-Indian motorcycle brand has built over the past century and employing the design language of its earlier bikes while conveying a decidedly contemporary appearance, Flying Flea will focus its attention on mid-weight and small bore electric equivalents. The Flying Flea team comprises over 200 engineers based across India and the UK, with the sub-brand developing its own motor, batteries, and software in-house. Flying Flea’s manufacturing facilities will be based in Vallam Vadagal, India.
The EV sub-brand already has a second scrambler-style motorcycle using the same powertrain as the FF-C6 in the works. The scrambler model will be called the FF-S6, in line with Flying Flea’s new nomenclature, wherein the letter denotes the style (‘C’ for classic or ‘S’ for scrambler) and the number indicates its power and technological prowess.
The Royal Enfield Flying Flea FF-C6 is set to be released in 2026, with pricing details yet to be announced.
Words by John Deckard
