Keeway's New Blueshark R80 Lite Electric Scooter Makes Its Way To Italy

Chinese motorcycle brand Keeway is one of the many marques under the Qianjiang group, a massive motorcycle manufacturing conglomerate in China. Alongside Keeway, other brands like Benelli and QJ Motor reside under the Qianjiang umbrella. With such a massive array of resources to its disposal, it's no surprise that brands like Keeway are beginning to build their presence in the global market. 

The growing popularity of electric motorcycles is something a lot of Chinese brands have been capitalizing on – Keeway included. One of its newest models, the Blueshark R80 Lite, was displayed at EICMA 2022, and is now available in the Italian market for 3,490 Euros, or about $3,823 USD. This makes it much more affordable than a lot of other electric scooters on the market. 

Stylistically speaking, the Keeway Blueshark R80 Lite has, well, a light appearance. Composed of a sleek, minimalist design, you could say that the scooter is modern chic in terms of aesthetics. It gets a simple digital meter, a large LED headlight that's mounted flush with the fairing, and a stylish LED tail light that integrates the left and right turn signals. 

In terms of its overall package, the Keeway Blueshark R80 Lite is clearly designed for city use. It's way too small and underpowered to be of any use on wide open highways, as it's packing a small yet punchy electric motor with a peak power output of 4.4 kilowatts, or about six horsepower. It's powerful enough to be able to climb slopes of up to 28 degrees, as well as hit a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, or about 50 miles per hour. 

The electric motor sips juice from a pair of battery packs housed underneath the saddle. The two lithium-ion batteries have a capacity of 30 amp-hours, and riders have the option to run just one battery pack, to save weight on shorter journeys. When combined, the batteries offer a range of 120 kilometers, or 75 miles on a single charge.