Electric Motorcycles

[domenick]

The Empulse RRs ridden by Turpin and Bostrom are definitely faster. But, they are high voltage, single-speed gearbox racing bikes and not (yet) for sale.
The Empulse TTX was (is?) available, and is a race-prepared version of the Empulse R (single R, as opposed to double R), which has the 6-speed gearbox and a little bigger motor than the Brammo Empulse (no R). I think it also has off-board charging, no headlight and other race mods that escape me at the moment.

The modified Zeros can probably only be gotten through Hollywood Electrics, rather than from the factory. I believe the main mod is the larger controller, but there might be some sort of tweaking to improve cooling. Anyway, if you're curious, hit up Harlan at Hollywood and he'll gladly tell you what he knows.

 

[7racer]

The Empulse RRs ridden by Turpin and Bostrom are definitely faster. But, they are high voltage, single-speed gearbox racing bikes and not (yet) for sale.
The Empulse TTX was (is?) available, and is a race-prepared version of the Empulse R (single R, as opposed to double R), which has the 6-speed gearbox and a little bigger motor than the Brammo Empulse (no R). I think it also has off-board charging, no headlight and other race mods that escape me at the moment.

The modified Zeros can probably only be gotten through Hollywood Electrics, rather than from the factory. I believe the main mod is the larger controller, but there might be some sort of tweaking to improve cooling. Anyway, if you're curious, hit up Harlan at Hollywood and he'll gladly tell you what he knows.

no need I have own an Empulse R...I was just a little dumbfounded when you said the Zero was faster. It is faster but like you mentioned, the modified ones.

 

[domenick]

CRP let a bunch of motorcycle journalists take its Energica Ego prototype for a spin recently. Here's my post on AutoblogGreen with all of the English-speaking videos attached.

Although the production version will be revealed this November, it looks like it won't be available until 2015. Journalists may get a chance to check it out next summer though.

 

[strider]

domenick, thanks for posting! Not sure how this effort slipped past my radar. I'm glad to hear there will be an option in between the Zero/Brammo and the Mission. The more of the price spectrum we can have covered the better I say!

 

[doug]

Tesla Co-Founder Joins Board of Electric Motorcycle Maker - Wired.com

Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard has joined the advisory board for BRD Motorcycles, a San Francisco-based electric motorcycle manufacturer that makes some incredibly mean two-wheeled machines.

 

[domenick]

I like the idea of using the same cells as Tesla but in my mind, I thought they would be more apt for a cruiser, since you need a larger pack to get enough power, due to a slower C rate. Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

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domenick, thanks for posting! Not sure how this effort slipped past my radar. I'm glad to hear there will be an option in between the Zero/Brammo and the Mission. The more of the price spectrum we can have covered the better I say!

I like a lot about this bike but I'm concerned with the date of its market entry. Both Zero and Brammo are likely to close this performance gap by 2015. I suspect Brammo might put out a street version of the RR within the next year. Zero's 2014 bikes are being revealed at EICMA on the 5th and they have incremental improvement over the 2013.

I would have like to see the CRP Ego with a 15 kWh battery for that weight and price for competitiveness sake.

 

[JRP3]

Small format doesn't necessarily mean the same cells as Tesla. They could be small format A123 cells for example.

 

[domenick]

Small format doesn't necessarily mean the same cells as Tesla. They could be small format A123 cells for example.

Ah, good point. I'm not sure I can see a big advantage over form factor, though, if energy density is still similar.

 

[JRP3]

Within the same chemistry a smaller form factor tends to allow higher C rates, i.e A123 cylindrical 18650's can do higher C rates than A123 20ah prismatics. On the other hand the 18650 NCA cells that Tesla uses are more than twice the specific energy, so as long as their C rates are high enough to deliver the performance you need they are currently the best way to pack the most distance into a bike. Of course the way Tesla does them, with liquid cooling and all the packaging it drops the specific energy from 250wh/kg to around 150wh/kg, so some of the advantage is lost. I'd assume that a bike doesn't need the 1/4 inch aluminum battery pack skid plate so it might not be that bad.

 

[Ocelot]

would like to test out one of these.

BMW C Evolution scooter slated for 2014 launch - SlashGear

 

[Seegem]

also worth sharing, if not double-posting, a great new video:

The Most Advanced Electric Superbike Sounds Like a Spaceship and Hauls Ass | Motherboard

 

[cloroxbb]

So the 2014 Zero line has been unveiled and i am glad i waited! Now i cannot wait until January to buy one.
ZERO MOTORCYCLES – The Electric Motorcycle Company - Official Site

 

[mnx]

So the 2014 Zero line has been unveiled and i am glad i waited! Now i cannot wait until January to buy one.
ZERO MOTORCYCLES – The Electric Motorcycle Company - Official Site

Yeah, the Zero SR looks like a pretty good poor mans alternative to the Mission R!

 

[domenick]

More on Zero's 2014 lineup reveal. I just wrote up a piece with pretty much all the changes, along with dozens of photos and video for each bike.

If you have any questions not addressed, I can answer pretty much anything 2014 Zero-related at this point.

 

[domenick]

The Agility Saietta R is coming to the States. This bike packs a lot of performance, and with that front suspension and short wheelbase, might surprise just about every other electric out there.

 

[thelastdeadmouse]

The Agility Saietta R is coming to the States. This bike packs a lot of performance, and with that front suspension and short wheelbase, might surprise just about every other electric out there.

View attachment 37756

I don't see it personally, to me its Zero SR performance and range but for $23,000 instead of $17,000. It just smells of "Design first, engineering second" to me, but to be fair I'm having a hard time not judging the book by its cover.

 

[strider]

I don't see it personally, to me its Zero SR performance and range but for $23,000 instead of $17,000. It just smells of "Design first, engineering second" to me, but to be fair I'm having a hard time not judging the book by its cover.

Just have to wait and see I guess. Hopefully once all of these new electrics are out someone will do some comparison tests. Heck I'll volunteer to throw a leg over and write up my thoughts. I have pretty regular access to tracks in NorCal.

But I love that they've taken a non-traditional tack. Current motorcycle design is built around the ICE drivetrain. Why not switch it up?

 

[domenick]

I don't see it personally, to me its Zero SR performance and range but for $23,000 instead of $17,000. It just smells of "Design first, engineering second" to me, but to be fair I'm having a hard time not judging the book by its cover.

To hear them tell it, engineering did come first. That's why, they say, it looks the way that it does. Here's a link to a review by a British publication. It's pretty enthusiastic, but I look forward to reading impressions from American journalists that I'm familiar with and who already have some experience with electrics.

 

[JRP3]

Pure fantasy, but what the heck.

 

[swaltner]

Kawasaki "J"

Interesting, but I won't get worked up about it until it's something more tangible than a CGI movie.