There's nothing quite as satisfying as watching a bunch of pieces fit together neatly, is there?
In this particular case, I'm referring to Royal Enfield's latest Instagram teaser. The short video clip starts off in outer space, with a meteor or two (unsure if Super or just the regular kind) floating rather serenely in space.
From there, we start to see a couple of different views of a parachute, seemingly floating down to Earth from outer space. We get a brief closeup of the top of what would be a fuel tank if this was a combustion motorcycle. But, despite Enfield's long history of making combustion bikes, we have good reason to believe this isn't one of them. Why?
Because it's not just the Royal Enfield IG account that posted this video. It's also a brand-new IG account called "Royal Enfield EV," which is listed as a collaborator on this short little clip.
At the end, we get text that says "The Drop. 04.11.2024." For those keeping track at home, that's just a few days before the start of EICMA 2024, which is essentially like moto-Christmas for the motorbike industry. This year, public dates for EICMA run from November 7 through 10, but November 5 and 6 are the official press days. That means Enfield will show off this EV a day before the press descends on Milan Rho-Fiera for the event.
It's Probably The Flying Flea, Reborn
As you may know if you've paid attention to Royal Enfield over the years, the modern incarnation of the company is absolutely not shy about calling out its long motorcycling heritage. From the long-running Bullet marque to reviving model names of the past, to seeking to recreate Project Origin because no known examples of the original machine still exist, it's a company that's very proud of its roots. And I mean, you would be, too, wouldn't you?
Still, it's a company that's also pragmatically keeping an eye on the future, because you don't get to notch up over 100 years in your history book by standing still. It's made no secret of the fact that it's working on electric options, even going so far as to purchase an equity stake in Stark Future back at the end of 2022.
And lest you forget, Enfield also brought an electrified Himalayan test mule that it called Him-E to EICMA 2023. One that my partner captured video of, in fact.
But while the Him-E pointed the way, in all likelihood, it's the Flying Flea. Although Enfield hasn't given voice to the model name for its EV in public just yet, it has filed trademark applications for the name in India. And patent documents.
If you're unfamiliar with the original Royal Enfield Flying Flea, it was used by British troops during WWII. To be more precise, the bike, which was especially lightweight, was very specifically parachuted out of the backs of C-47s in special steel cages to help them safely land, ready to ride. Couriers used them to deliver important messages, and they served their country admirably during one of the darkest periods in the 20th century.
It's this imagery that Royal Enfield draws on in 2024, in that short but sweet Instagram reel. Are you excited to see what the company is cooking up?
