He Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has authorized the operational use of the MUL.E, the first electric two-wheel drive military motorcycle developed in the country. The vehicle has been designed to move soldiers and material over terrain where a conventional motorcycle or a heavier vehicle may encounter greater difficulties.
‘The vehicle was designed at the request of the military to perform tasks in a modern high-intensity war. Engineers incorporated several important design solutions not offered by traditional military motorcycles with internal combustion engines’, says the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in a statement.
The main difference compared to military motorcycles with a combustion engine is in its propulsion system. The MUL.E uses two independent electric motorsone associated with each wheel, so it has 2×2 traction and can continue moving if one of them becomes unusable. The electrical operation also considerably reduces noise and avoids the heat and gases generated by a gasoline engine, which makes its acoustic detection difficult and reduces its thermal signature.
A full charge allows you to travel almost 100 kilometersalthough Ukraine has not revealed the capacity of the batteries, the power of the motors or other specifications. The Ministry of Defense limits itself to ensuring that it reaches a high speed and that it passed the necessary tests to carry out military missions. The manufacturer has not been identified either.which it describes only as a Ukrainian company specializing in defense products.
The range of this motorcycle can be extended by a small detachable gasoline generator installed on the frame. This device is used to produce electricity and recharge the main batteries when there is no access to the electrical grid. Once removed, you can also power radios, phones, other field equipment and FPV drone batteries.
The wide wheels and all-wheel drive allow it to travel on sand, deep snow, swampy areas, muddy roads and very deteriorated terrain. The motorcycle can transport soldiers with their weapons, small loads or wounded soldiers, in addition to towing a loaded trailer. These capabilities allow it to be used for reconnaissance, supply, rapid evacuations and movements of small units.
The low pressure that it exercises on the ground is another of its most striking advantages. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, its weight is distributed in such a way that The pressure on the ground is comparable to a soldier’s footprint.. This reduces the chance of activating many mines designed for vehicles and armorwhich require a higher charge to detonate.
That feature does not make the MUL.E a motorcycle capable of crossing any minefield safely. Anti-personnel mines can use much more sensitive activation systems and there are also devices with magnetic, seismic or remote control sensors. Advantage is primarily limited to pressure-activated anti-vehicle mines.
Motorcycles have gained importance in Ukraine along with pickup trucks because they allow soldiers to disperse, use narrow routes and quickly cover roadless areas. On a front constantly monitored by drones, Reducing the time a unit is stopped or exposed can make a difference. Their smaller size also makes it easier to hide them and deploy them more quickly than a car.
The demand for these vehicles continues to increase within the Armed forces Ukrainians. The Defense Acquisition Agency contract 1,500 motorcycles to deliver during 2026, three times more than the previous year. The operation gathered offers from six suppliers and saved about 12 million hryvnias. The organization has not indicated that this order corresponds to the MUL.E, but rather to the general supply of motorcycles for the front.