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Harley-Davidson offers free charging for its electric motorcycle
Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle will soon hit the roads, and while the LiveWire will have a longer range than first expected, at 140 miles of city driving on a single charge, you'll still need to hook it up to a charger once in a while. To help you save on electricity fees, Harley is offering free charging for US customers.
Ducati confirms plans for an electric motorcycle
Ducati has hinted at a desire to make electric motorcycles before, but it's committing in a more substantial way. Company chief Claudio Domenicali told guests at a Spanish event that the "future is electric" and the company was "not far from starting production" on its own two-wheeled EV. Regional Managing Director Eduoard Lotthé had hinted at plans in 2017, but this is about as official as it gets.
Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle arrives in August for $30K
After years of talk, Harley-Davidson is finally ready to put its LiveWire electric motorcycle up for sale -- and not surprisingly, it'll cost you. The green two-wheeler is now available for pre-order ahead of its August debut for a hefty $29,799. That's a lot to shell out, but Harley is betting that performance and connectivity will seal the deal.
Curtiss is ready to mass-produce its 'Zeus' e-motorbikes
Motorcycle-maker Curtiss is finally moving beyond its electric concepts to an EV two-wheeler that may actually make it to the public. It just unveiled two new models of its Zeus prototype -- dubbed Cafe and Bobber -- that are slated for production in 2020. In case you need a refresher, the dual-motor Zeus was unveiled in May with a 14.4Kw battery pack and a design that looked unlike anything that preceded it.
Zero motorcycles’ modular battery is one pricey upgrade
On a spreadsheet, electric motorcycles can be a tough sell. For starters, gas-powered bikes get outstanding mileage. So while hybrids and electric cars can save a driver money in the long run, that doesn't really apply to motorcycles. Instead, there's the warm fuzzy feeling that you're doing something good for the environment. In addition, you can silently cruise around without frightening the neighborhood pets with a bombastic exhaust. Oh and there's also the incredible electric torque.
Honda will use electric bikes to test swappable batteries
Honda has teamed up with Panasonic to start testing the swappable rechargeable batteries it debuted at CES this year. The partners are bringing Honda's Mobile Power Packs to Indonesia, where they'll be used to power electric mobility products, particularly electric bikes. Indonesia is the third largest motorcycle market in the world after India and China, and its government has been thinking of ways to reduce traffic and pollution brought by the rise of the two-wheeled vehicles. One of the solutions it came up with is to encourage the adoption of electric-powered vehicles, making the country one of the best places to test the batteries.
BMW hopes AI-managed electric bike roads will ease traffic
In some cities, the most common electric vehicles are likely to be two-wheelers like bikes and motorcycles. But cities aren't really designed for them -- you have to compete with cars on the road and at charging stations. BMW and Tongji University think they can do better: they've developed a concept, Vision E3 Way, that gives e-bike riders their own roads. The paths would be safer and reduce traffic congestion, as you might expect, but they'd also take advantage of the electric nature of the vehicles to make two-wheel riding more accessible.
BMW's latest motorcycle concept links futuristic style and tech
No doubt, BMW has come up with some cool conceptual vehicles lately, with a color-changing Mini and a futuristic, self-driving Next 100 auto. Its Motorrad Vision Next 100 motorcycle, revealed last October, is maybe the coolest yet with a gyroscopic system designed to keep riders upright and safe no matter what. It also looks pretty, well, rad. The company's latest electric motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad Concept Link, is based on the first Next 100 but brings a more refined, commuter-friendly style to the idea of a zero-emission electric motorcycle.
Six amazing all-electric motorcycles
By Cat DiStasio Zero-emissions cars are popping up left and right, but motorcycle design has been a little late to the game. Yet, all-electric motorcycles and are zooming down the streets in increasing numbers. With varying engine sizes, charging times and driving ranges, each new electric motorcycle that hits the market offers something unique. From far-out futuristic designs that look like something Batman would ride to bikes that could have driven off a Star Wars set, cutting-edge electric motorcycles have broken the early trend that suggested EVs ought to look like dorkier versions of their fossil fuel counterparts. Other electric motorcycles target ambitious performance standards -- from blistering top speeds to longer driving ranges and even some fun features like built-in LED effects.
ICYMI: Screaming down a magnetic levitation tube
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Hyperloop One is a concept design to put a high-speed transit line between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, cutting the commute time from two hours to 12 minutes. If the 760MPH speed frightens you, perhaps you'd be more interested in Zero Motorcycles' new lineup, which increased range to 200 miles in one charge. If you're interested in Simple Habit the meditation app, that's here, and a news story from Canada on its immigration website crash is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
This freaky electric motorbike was 3D printed with metal powder
The Light Rider is an electric motorbike that weighs just 77 pounds and has a frame like an alien skeleton. Its creator, Airbus subsidiary APWorks, crafted the bike with 3D printing -- but it's not plastic. The hollow frame is aircraft-grade aluminum (this is Airbus, after all) and it takes shape via thousands of thin metal layers produced in a bed of metal powder.
E-bike company blames Apple poaching for its demise
When promising EV company Mission Motorcycles went bankrupt last month, it said that "we have not earned any cash (or) revenue of any kind." However, it's now putting part of the blame on Apple, claiming that it poached several of its top engineers at a critical time. Mission told Reuters that an investor withdrew crucial funding after two of its key engineers left for Apple, and the company ran out of cash shortly afterwards. "Mission had a great group of of engineers... Apple knew that -- they wanted it, and they went and got it," said CEO Derek Kaufman.
Zero Motorcycles' latest electric bikes pack more powerful engines
Electric motorcycle maker Zero has announced its 2016 lineup and in particular it's expanding its stable of two-wheeled vehicles. The new FXS is a lightweight supermoto-inspired bike for the city while the DSR adds more power to the company's fleet of dual sport bikes with additional toque and horsepower. Powering these new bikes and others in the line is an updated Z-force motor that promises improved performance and efficiency.
Mission Electric's record-setting motorcycle is dead
Electric motorcycle enthusiasts have been waiting a long time for the Mission RS, and that wait is finally over. Just not in a satisfying way. Mission Electric has announced it has filed for bankruptcy, effectively killing an impressive all-electric super-bike that its been teasing since 2010. The RS set records at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, helped the company secure a spot on the team behind Harley Davidson's Project LiveWire and even caught the attention of Jay Leno -- but none of that brought in the revenue Mission Electric needed to survive. "I have struggled to rescue the business to find a buyer for the assets," co-founder Mark Seeger said during recent court proceedings. "To date, we have not earned any cash / revenue of any kind."
RedShift electric motocross race bikes will be ready to roll in 2015
BRD Motorcycles originally opened pre-orders for the RedShift electric motorcycles back in 2011, and it's almost time for them to hit the streets. A lot has changed since then, including the name of the company -- now Alta Motors -- and a recent $4.5 million investment round of investment. The company simply explains that it likes the new name better, but the changes we're interested in have to do with those sweet plug-in bikes. We spoke to CEO / co-founder Marc Fenigstein as Alta showed off the 2015 production model RedShift MX and RedShift SM at the 2014 AIMExpo in Orlando, and he explained both bikes have undergone countless changes since they first debuted. The "race bike with lights" MX has a $14,995 price tag, while the road-going supermoto model is $15,495 and features a slightly higher 85mph top speed -- check after the break for more details.
Harley-Davidson teases its first electric motorcycle
The sound of a Harley-Davidson roaring down the street is unmistakable, but it's looking like the Milwaukee-based motorcycle company could be going a bit quieter with its next model. The outfit posted a teaser video (embedded after the break) today with a bike briefly zooming down a section of Route 66, and while there isn't a clear look at the ride in question, the sound it makes is kind of startling considering the trademark bar-and-shield logo attached to the clip. The supposed two-wheeler doesn't sport the typical rolling thunder synonymous with the American motorcycles, but instead it sounds like a jet-engine taking off as it screams past the camera -- basically confirming suspicions the internet's had about an upcoming electric-engine hog. Whether it'll best the Lightning LS-218 on the quarter mile remains to be seen, however. Any other speculation should be cleared up relatively soon as the video is simply titled "06.19.14." with an accompanying countdown set to expire tomorrow at 8AM ET. [Image credit: Associated Press]
Yamaha outs lightweight PES1 electric motorcycle concept ahead of Tokyo Motor Show
A few days before the start of the Tokyo Motor Show, Yamaha rolled out a number of two-wheeled concepts of both the electric- and gasoline-powered kind. First, the PES1 is a 200-pound (!) road bike that touts a middle-mounted battery pack, brushless DC motor and is sure to weigh in at less than a number of its riders. It also has the ability to go from fully automatic to manual transmission with the flip of a toggle switch. This is a concept, of course, so there's no indication of range or how much the slim down will impact those Sunday rides. The outfit also unveiled the PED1: the off-road sibling of the PES1 with similar internals. So similar in fact that Yahama says that you'll be able to swap batteries between the two should you opt for both the on-road and dirt-bound versions (if and when they are ever available). For the scooter enthusiasts, there's also the EVINO in all its classically aesthetic glory. Here, a lithium-ion battery powers the electric version of the Vino from underneath the seat alongside the motor which are both in plain view for showing off those green sensibilities. Naturally, there's no word on pricing just yet, but you can rest assured that we're keeping an eye out for more on this trio. For a look at the PED1 and EVINO, jump down past the break.
Rimac unveils greyp G12 electric bike with 75 mile range, 40mph top speed
Rimac's Concept One has been something of an enigma, but there's no doubting that the EV maker has just taken the veil off its latest product -- the greyp G12 electric bike. If you're not sure if looks like a motorbike, or regular bicycle, that's okay, because Rimac claims it's both. It can do 40mph (unassisted) with a pedal-free range of 75 miles, after that, you're on your own. With an alleged charge time of 80 minutes (from zero), from any regular power outlet, the G12 could be a winner with city dwellers looking to get about town. Other neat tricks include fingerprint activated ignition that allows different digits to trigger the bike's two modes -- street or speed -- with profiles for up to 50 users available. There's no official word on price or availability, but if you want to become a "dealer," you could expect to take delivery of one as soon as October for 6,000 euros (about $7,900). Pedal past the break for a video of the greyp doing its thing.
Lightning electric motorcycle bests gas-powered bikes at Pikes Peak
With 156 turns over its 12.42-mile (19.99 km) course and elevation changes ranging from 4,720 ft (1,440 m) to 14,110 ft (4,300 m), Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is one of the most grueling races in the world for both humans and machines. It's particularly challenging for gas-powered vehicles, since the air contains less oxygen at higher altitudes. As a result, electric cars and motorcycles have gained popularity at the event in recent years. In fact, 2013 marks the first time an electric bike's beaten its gas-powered rivals, with Carlin Dunne and Lightning Motorcycles finishing the race in 10 minutes and 0.694 seconds -- ahead of Bruno Langlois who managed 10 minutes and 21.323 seconds on a Ducati Multistrada 1200 S. While electric vehicles are expected to dominate Pikes Peak in the near future, it's going to take a few more years before autonomous cars win the event. [Image Credit: Jensen Beeler / Asphalt & Rubber]
Brammo expects 2013 Enertia Plus to reach US in January, puts new Empulse R on the road
Brammo hasn't always had the smoothest delivery schedules, which has us somewhat relieved that its latest generation of electric motorcycles is hitting the road in earnest. To start, the company now anticipates that the 2013 Enertia Plus should ship to the US in mid-January. That leaves one last wait for a commuter e-bike that can peak around 60MPH and last up to 75 miles on a 7.5-hour charge. Others are getting a quicker fix, in more ways than one: as of a few days ago, the 2013 Empulse R has reached a first owner in San Francisco who's more than happy with his $18,995 outlay. He can confirm both the brisk performance and a realistic range of 75 to 80 miles. Between his new ride and the Enertia Plus, it may be a good season for eco-friendly driving on two wheels.
