This story is inaccurate. The bike in question may have broken the quarter mile for an electric motorcycle, but it is certainly not the fastest motorcycle.

The current NHRA pro-stock motorcycle champ does the quarter in 6.911 seconds, which would easily shellac the electric bike. I think the top speed for Angelle Sampey was around 211 mph.

It's the fastest electric motorcycle, not the fastest motorcycle. The fastest motorcycles can do the quarter mile in less than 7 seconds.

My bad, I fixed the story. Thanks for catching that. But the punchline remains the same, these batteries are storing power very efficiently...maybe not as efficiently as fossil fuels, but they're getting there, and it's exciting.

I live in an area where motos out number mobiles (cars & trucks a la local lingo) 10 to 1 and where 2 cycle engines are common - read noise and smoke. None the less, many expats prefer the moto for its ease and mobility and many more locals because of initial and opererating costs. When the cost of owning and operating listric (electric) motos competes or beats combustion motos the revolution will be televised :-). In the US it's all about sound and fury when it comes to motorcycles but in the DW it's about transport. Of all modes of electric trans being developed I believe the cycle market will be the easiest penetrate.

The only problem is they are using Lithium ION, who wants to replace the batteries every three years?

Who wants to "replace" the gas once a week?

I think this is great progress. I wish that we could get electric Nascar or some sort of electric car racing competiion going. Racing plays a big part of automotive world, and a lot of good deal of knowledge is learned when we push things to their limit. Auto-racing is a big part of America, and to get people interested I think that racing electric vehicles will be part of it.

NHRA record for quickest is 6.911 however no compition pro stock motorcycle has crossed the 200mph barrier in compition and that is where the records are made. Andrew Hines on a Harley-Davidson VROD holds the quarter mile speed record at 197.45mph! He is also the current defending champ for the last three years.

Peace

David in Bali,

The batteries are lithium phosphate, there's no calender aging at all. The cycle life before the pack starts t degrade by 5% is 1000-4000 cycles depending on the discharge rate. Even then there still useable though with a diminished range.

Hank,
I'm looking for some EV activity in Missoula, and if there is none, then I'd like to start some. Figured I'd drop you a note to see if you knew anything.

This article states that A123s batteries are not yet at the Power Density levels of the Tesla Roadster. It should read " A123s batteries are not yet at the ENERGY Density levels of the Tesla Roadster" as the A123 cells are rated at an astounding 3000W/Kg (power density) but a less impressive 90WHr/Kg (energy density). Indeed the A123s cells can produce more than 5 times the power of the cells in the Roadster per unit weight, but contain ony 65% of the energy. (so when producing 5 times the power they'll only last 1/7.7th (5*.65) as long instead of 1/5th as long.

HELP! I'm looking for an electric moped that will do 40 mph but it also must weigh 250# or less and seat height must be 30" or less. Anyone know of something to fill the bill? Thanks.

Im currently designing my own custom built motorcycle and am actually interested in possibly moving towards a hybrid idea, would anyone have any forums/websites they know of or recomend me takeing a look at to get more info on how it all works?

As an update to this story, the Killacycle (the electric motorcycle being discussed) has done the quarter mile in 7.8 seconds at 170 miles per hour, so it is quickly approaching the levels of conventional drag-bikes. It will likely begin to surpass them this year or next as the battery and motor technology develop further. The age of fossil fuel powered racing is nearing an end.

Ok, so someone give some real life details. What would it take to get one that could be driven 45-65 MPH for say four hours. And that same motorcycle should be able to top 120 MPH on demand. And don't tell me it will take 12-18 hours to charge.

So lets see some usable range, speed and what it cost to charge in dollars and time.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the info. I love motorcycles. I just want to see one I can use. And to be sure once ONE of these bikes could be brought to market, then we'll all see Real Green Cars.

How about the quarter mile in 6.207 @ 226 as a record smasher for top fuel Harley's. That's what took the cake at the Commerce, GA HDRA last weekend.

Yeah, Killacycle was there, and a spectacle to behold...as always. These guys have come a long way!

Okay so its a fast bike, and I think that is the real story. A123 might have more efficient new batteries, but the fact remaining is this: batteries are //not sustainable//. They are so full of toxics it is ridiculous, and it stands to reason that they are at the very top of the energy conversion ladder. Every single conversion incurs a loss before finally storing the energy in the battery. From a sustainability standpoint, battery derived power sources are inferior even to fossil feuls. Let us not, as a movement repeat mistakes. Remember when everyone went crazy for corn ethanol and then it turned out to be a humanitarian disaster? Think it through: what would the world look like if every car were battery driven, and every battery were replaced even every 15 years? That world is a nightmare. So battery tech is //at best// a temporary solution. If we are to discuss temporary solutions, why not focus on increasing the efficiency of the existing infrastructure?

Consider my motorcycle versus my dad's Prius: He paid 24000, I paid 6000. He gets 50 mpg driving slow. I get 50 mpg riding fast. He is about 5 years away from replacing all of his batteries. This will be thousands of dollars, and hundreds of pounds of toxics contributed to the global cesspit. He can take 3 other passengers yes. I can take only one but its quality over quantity. To be fair, I will have to replace my tires faster than he does, but my tires are smaller by half at least, and fewer by half at most.

Some batteries are recyclable. Good point.