Yamaha's EC-f electric motorcycle has two wheels and one plug

Motorcycles are light, small, and easily able to ride up on sidewalks in search of hidden power plugs. They're the perfect electric vehicle but, despite a few notable exceptions, they're still powered by dino juice. Yamaha, makers of the raucous crossplane crank R1 sportbike, has decided to go a little bit cuter for its vision of the rechargeable future, the EC-f. It features an aluminum frame, a lithium ion battery, and styling cues that will have riders worrying about that green ring turning red. That, of course, assumes this will ever actually have riders, which is doubtful given the fate of most fanciful Tokyo Motor Show concepts like this.

[RufusWhite Posted Oct 23rd 2009 8:51AM]

Give. Me. Now.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 8:56AM]

tron scooter

[mex Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:00AM]

and it comes with an XBOX? :)

[SrgBacon Posted Oct 23rd 2009 7:20PM]

Mybe it IS the new XBOX

[ScaryFast Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:00AM]

Fisher Price Baby's First Electric Motorbike?

[ReadyKilowatt Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:01AM]

Just don't let your friends see you riding one.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:04AM]

I really want one of these. Do it yamaha!

[0998c0ad Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:11AM]

Looks like it might transform into a giant hair dryer.

[Groggle Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:55AM]

That would blow. (sorry, I had to.)

[RogueGenius Posted Oct 23rd 2009 7:36PM]

"After using the AllSpark on his XBox 360, Sam realized what a bad idea that was..."

[darkmax Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:11AM]

it doesn't come with an Xbox.... it probably will never go into production, although it should.

However, I can see it appearing in the the next Kamen Rider series!

[Dolphers Posted Oct 23rd 2009 5:00PM]

I'm sorry, I just had to point out how amusing it was that your avatar/comment is positioned just below the comment about this bike being a transformer. Made me smile.

[ScaryFast Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:15AM]

What happens if It gets the red ring of death? At first I hated it because it's so fisher price, but now I realize it looks just weird and futuristic enough that I would totally drive one around. Give me one.

[ScaryFast Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:16AM]

Oh hey they mentioned the red ring right in the article. I'm such a comment loser.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:34AM]

One word: Aerodynamics?

This industrial toy designers' wet dream is against the main principle of making good electric vehicles: it is not aerodynamic, thus it is either slow by design or burns too many batterycalories going fast. It needs a shell. Motorbike aerodynamics, as in your typical HD or street Suzuki, are horrible.

Quite a few years ago, Toyota or Honda (sorry, my memory is failing) presented a vehicle that was standing upright in the city and lying on it's back on the highway. Good driver view in the first and very good aero in the second position. They should've released the electric production model of that rather than playing kids' designer games. Yes, I'm disappointed.

[jonbruc Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:31AM]

Have any of these manufacturers seen the people that ride motorcycles? This looks ridiculous.

[coolblue2000 Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:37AM]

It looks less ridiculous that those BMW mopeds with roofs! And I see quite a few of those around.

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Oct 23rd 2009 12:40PM]

I assume you're in Europe? I saw a C1 at a dealer in London maybe 8 years ago, but I've never seen one in the US.. in fact I don't think I've even seen one on the street in Europe either, though it's been a few years since I've been across the pond.

I think an electric motorcycle would be fun, but then I'm a cheap mofo who wouldn't pay $10k or whatever they're gonna charge for it. Get it closer to $2k and then we're talking.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 10:26AM]

Am I the only one who read the title in my head as "2 Wheels 1 Plug" and wondered whether I wanted to click through or not?

[Jorvay Posted Oct 23rd 2009 1:38PM]

I balked for a second too.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 11:01AM]

fantastic, futuristic design - white and soft green color combination looks sexy!

[j2inet Posted Oct 23rd 2009 12:16PM]

Looks like an xbox 360 on wheels.

[Landtat Posted Oct 23rd 2009 12:57PM]

Give me 2 so I can fit my fat biker ass on it.

[David Topping Posted Oct 23rd 2009 1:38PM]

Forget the elctric side of it, did anyone notice that this is two single sided swing arms and a IHGACHTDI (I haven't got a clue how to describe it) steering system?

With two 3.5Kw brushless motors and that suspension setup I definatley want it.

Oh wait, it has batteries so it'll (probably) be limited to 30mph and 40 miles range.

Hmm ... I'll stick with hydrocarbons, a measly 110bhp and telelever.

Sigh.

[Wwhat Posted Oct 23rd 2009 2:41PM]

Lots of talk, but I bet you can't change a tire.

[Slty Posted Oct 23rd 2009 2:22PM]

Ya, that thing looks like it was driven right out of my 360.

[Wwhat Posted Oct 23rd 2009 2:40PM]

For some reason I like this thing, and normally I'm a bit cynical towards such designs.

[Anticrawl Posted Oct 23rd 2009 3:03PM]

I'll stick to my bicycle thanks, it drives faster and runs longer and it's powered on tastie baconater cheesburgers.

[DigDug Posted Oct 24th 2009 6:50AM]

I'll stick with my MV Agusta F4.