For the most part, the electric motorcycles we see fit into the high-performance, upright sport, urban, or dual-sport categories. The 2020 Tacita T-Cruise Turismo breaks the electric stereotype—it is a potential bagger ready for weekend excursions. Let’s take a look at what you can do with this genre-expanding electric motorcycle from Italy, with a name derived from The Silent Goddess in Roman mythology.
1. Tacita spells out the mission of the 2020 T-Cruise Turismo.
The Tacita T-Cruise Turismo has been designed to enhance the pleasure of traveling alone or with your partner,” according to said Tacita co-founder Pierpaolo Rigo. “A beautiful and relaxing machine for cruising, but also fast when you want to have fun. With the ability to be recharged on any power outlet or a public charger when needed. We designed the T-Cruise Turismo to travel with pleasure and joy, that simple.”
- The “eco leather” bags shown in the photos are optional, and the seat uses the same material. Eco leather is animal hide that uses an eco-friendly process for seasoning, tanning, and dyeing.
- The 2020 Tacita T-Cruise Turismo is available with a choice of four Generation 2 PMAC motors. The motor outputs range from an urban-only 14.7 horsepower to an open-road 59 horsepower. The torque numbers aren’t as broad, with the lowest power motor delivering 44 ft-lbs of torque, and the highest performance motor cranking out 77 ft-lbs. The US version of the T-Cruise Turismo only has the two most-powerful motor options.
- There are four power mapping options: Power, Touring, Eco, and Eco+.
- The T-Cruise Turismo has a five-speed gearbox. Tacita says it has added this feature to reduce overheating (the motor is also liquid-cooled), lower energy consumption, and provide additional torque at higher speeds. The clutch setup is unusual. It’s not needed to when pulling away from a start, but it is required to interrupt the power when changing gears—no speed-shifting allowed.
- A selection of three lithium-polymer battery packs are also at your beck-and-call, and they determine range. The 9 kWh battery pack is good for 70 miles, while the 27 kWh is claimed to keep the 2020 Tacita T-Cruise Turismo on the road for 200 miles between charge. The range numbers aren’t broken down by which of the four motors used in the T-Cruise. Instead, the Tacita Range Method is used.
- Here are the test parameters used by Tacita for determining range:
- Rider weight is 198 pounds
- Street legal tires
- Acceleration from any stopping point up to the road speed limit on a progressive manner
- Regenerative braking on the Off option, so the motorcycle runs with minimum effort
- The motorcycle decreases speed gently when approaching a traffic light
- Regenerative braking on the On option only on downhill road segments
- Three different routes are used for testing: hilly roads; flat roads; uphill and downhill roads with an urban mix
- 65 percent state roads—urban roads with 43 mph speed limit; non-urban roads with 56 mph speed limit
- 35 percent city roads—mainly 31 mph speed limit; some segments with 19 mph speed limit
- The average speed on the road mix is 40 mph
- Tacita doesn’t make a claim on recharging times, but it can be quite rapid due to the ability to use both Level 1 and Level 2 chargers. Tacita USA CEO Axel Heilenkotter says, “With the Tacita T-Cruise Turismo, we are addressing the specific needs of a touring motorcycle. With up to 322 kilometers or 200 miles range, you can cover more than the average a rider normally travels before stopping for lunch, where you can recharge for the afternoon riding.”
- The estimated battery life is 2000 cycles, which should be good for 310,000 miles. Tacita warranties the battery for five years.
- Regenerative braking is available, with four levels of intrusion. Brembo brake systems are used, with a 320mm disc in the front and a 240mm disc for the rear.
- The footpegs are adjustable, with three choices of location.
- Pricing for the 2020 Tacita T-Cruise Turismo ranges from $13,990 to $30,999:
- 44 kW motor w/ 27 kWh battery pack: $30,990
- 27 kW motor w/ 27 kWh battery pack: $27,990
- 44 kW motor w/ 18 kWh battery pack: $21,990
- 27 kW motor w/ 18 kWh battery pack: $18,990
- 27 kW motor w/ 9 kWh battery pack: $13,990
