Electric bikes keep getting better and better...

[Motosportz]

Kind of exciting to watch this tech unfold. With all the get off oil pushes and possible future of EZ to get clean electricity it might not be that long before we see more and more of this.

this one goes 100 MPH, 100+ range on a single 110V wall socket charge. Costs around 10K (down to 7K with tax incentives) and looks like the goods. Interesting times.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/07/brammo-empulse-electric-bikes-start-to-get-interesting/

http://www.brammo.com/empulse/?gclid=CL6lydWLjKMCFQZ2gwod9V5kbQ

 

[cment]

Any guess as to how much this beauty weighs? I looked on their site and couldn't find any specs.

 

[absolut_zero273]

Weight varies by model (battery size), but are expected to be 370 lbs for the 60 mile range version to 410 lbs for the 100 mile range one. As for pricing its $10k for the 60 mile one and $14k for the 100 mile one. If I remember right there is about $3k in goverenment incentives that go with these so it brings it right in line with gas street bikes. I am definitely keeping an eye on these.

 

[LawnDartMike]

It is great to see the tech getting better. But they are still a ways off for me. 100 miles is a short ride on a street bike unless it is for commuting. It would take five charges just to get me down to see MotoGP! And how long does it take to charge using 110v? 4 hours? six hours? I need more like 400-500 miles on a charge to make it worthwhile.

I guess if they had a naked bike style I'd be more inclined to get one for commuting and keep my VFR800 for the longer trips - but then I'm paying for two bikes. Like I said - still a ways off for me.

 

[firecrotch]

I am willing to bet the 100 mile range is under ideal conditions. Problem with batteries are...just wait till your stuck in traffic on a hot day and I bet that range gets cut in half.

 

[ioneater]

Well, these would be quiet and undoubtedly smooth. Battery technology seems to be the driving factor. I saw this happen in RC models in the last several years with the availability of LiPo battery tech. Phenomenal. If the goal is for the Green revolution, keep smoking that crack pipe. Still takes some form of energy to supply power to that recharging station. Hope we can adapt from fossil fuels smoothly but ......... Having an exhaust free street bike would be very strange, but probably very cool!

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

This one is American made & if I read correctly it won this years I.O.M. TT in the zero emissions class. This one was at Laguna this year. I've read about electric dirt bikes & the way this technology is moving, it seems the realization that I may have the option of owning an electric in my lifetime is right around the corner. I would love to have a nice, reliable electric dual sport......But let's not trash the internal combustion engine just yet.

http://www.motoczysz.com/main.php?area=home

 

[Motosportz]

This one is American made & if I read correctly it won this years I.O.M. TT in the zero emissions class. This one was at Laguna this year. I've read about electric dirt bikes & the way this technology is moving, it seems the realization that I may have the option of owning an electric in my lifetime is right around the corner. I would love to have a nice, reliable electric dual sport......But let's not trash the internal combustion engine just yet.

http://www.motoczysz.com/main.php?area=home

Thats actually made right here in Portland Oregon. My machinist was doing a few contracted parts for that. There are some funny / interesting back stories about this whole project and the dude behind it.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

The first time I went to Laguna in 2005 I think, He Mike Czysz did a big unveiling of the GP effort he was putting together. Looking for investors & the such. It was interesting. The guy must have some deep pockets.
Anyway here is another pic of another Electric Street Bike, I've heard of the Zero brand in the dirt bike realm of electrics but have not seen the street versions

 

[Picklito]

If the goal is for the Green revolution, keep smoking that crack pipe. Still takes some form of energy to supply power to that recharging station. QUOTE]

Hallelujah, Brother!! It's as if nobody thinks about where that electricity comes from.

 

[glangston]

One thing is likely, in keeping with tradition, the bike will need a headlight upgrade.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

If the goal is for the Green revolution, keep smoking that crack pipe. Still takes some form of energy to supply power to that recharging station. QUOTE]

Hallelujah, Brother!! It's as if nobody thinks about where that electricity comes from.

I can relate, I hope the electricity comes from natural gas. Alabama Power is the largest consumer of NG is the state. AP buys it from Alagasco or SoNat, which helps feed the economy within our state. Most of the NG here comes right off the Alabama gulf coast.

No green revolution here, but if I can get from point A to point B with less money flying out of my pocket, so be it.

 

[Motosportz]

I can relate, I hope the electricity comes from natural gas. Alabama Power is the largest consumer of NG is the state. AP buys it from Alagasco or SoNat, which helps feed the economy within our state. Most of the NG here comes right off the Alabama gulf coast.

No green revolution here, but if I can get from point A to point B with less money flying out of my pocket, so be it.

NG is a huge pollutant as well. Look into how they extract it. Not a good long term solution unfortunately and not sustainable.

We need super efficient soler cells and need to start tapping to tide energy and such. There's lots of ways to get electricity semi cheap and sustainable / good for the planet but we will be unwilling to make the strides to get there until the oil is gone because we already have it and it works and there is a massive world wide infrastructure to support it.

 

[rajobigguy]

If the goal is for the Green revolution, keep smoking that crack pipe. Still takes some form of energy to supply power to that recharging station. QUOTE]

Hallelujah, Brother!! It's as if nobody thinks about where that electricity comes from.

Yes, it still takes some form of energy to make electricity (it's what I do) but the electricity that every household pulls off the grid comes from various sources such as coal, nat gas, nuclear, wind, solar and hydroelectric. Even coal fired generators are under very strict government control for pollutants, some of the others produce zero emissions so a electric vehicle is greener than a gas powered one.
From the standpoint of econonics it only costs you about $1.50 to get a charge that will take you 100 miles. That makes the cost of ownership easy on the pocket. The only real drawback is the anxiety of running out of charge somewhere on a desolate hwy. or in peak rush hr. traffic. I think that they need to have some sort of hybrid to really make this a viable alternative. Maybe a arrangement something like the Chevy Volt, where you run on battery only for the first 40 miles then it automatically switchs to a small gas engine/electric drive for another 300 miles.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

NG is a huge pollutant as well. Look into how they extract it. Not a good long term solution unfortunately and not sustainable.

We need super efficient soler cells and need to start tapping to tide energy and such. There's lots of ways to get electricity semi cheap and sustainable / good for the planet but we will be unwilling to make the strides to get there until the oil is gone because we already have it and it works and there is a massive world wide infrastructure to support it.

Well my point was that NG is a cleaner fuel to create electricity than coal. We have a lot of coal in the South, that coal was used to drive steam plants here in Alabama & the South. We had some hydroelectric stuff but mostly coal. Our air quality was not that good until about 12 years ago, when the EPA required all the steam plants to convert to NG. NG has it's draw backs, but it is much easier on the environment that the coal and a coal mine tears the land to pieces. Surely with a lot of focus now on new fuels there will be a breakthrough, but for the time being NG is it. I'm with you on any alternate fuel that could be used be it solar, hydro, wind, but it will be quite a while before it is available to the masses.
As far as pollution goes, I don't think we will ever truly escape it as long as man is around. I believe every little bit helps, but it's not going anywhere any time soon. Heck, some people say that cattle produce more green house gases than cars & trucks, but I'm not ready to give up steak.

http://www.independent.co.uk/enviro...o-planet-than-cosub2sub-from-cars-427843.html

Anyway, for me an electric vehicle isn't as much about my environmental footprint as it is about not being so dependant on foreign oil. As a matter of fact I wish They could keep Their oil & we could drill our own until a better source of fuel is found or created.

 

[Motosportz]

Good points.

Here we have the entire Puget sound area, many many miles of trapped water that flows in and out of some smallish outlets. The number of gallons of water that are transfered twice a day must be staggering. Seems like almost free energy to me. But will will never tap into it until big oil money dies up in 30 years. We better learn to live in harmony with our planet soon. No I am not a greenie, I'm simply being realistic. Man is a funny creature.

Edit...

All this water moves in and out twice a day. Build a dam right at where it says Port Townsend and make piles of free electricity twice a day.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&i....696823,-122.467346&spn=1.356877,2.469177&z=9

there are lots of solutions, we would just rather burn oil

 

[Motosportz]

What I like about electric bike is the lack of maintenance they will require. No gear box, no motor oil, no cooling system. Also not temp or altitude induced running issues, programmable power curve... I really look forward to this technology in the next few years.

If Scot really went to Zero it would be cool if he would still post here and shed some light on this interesting future.

 

[ioneater]

I am all for the electric side of people moving, be it on 2, 4, 6 wheels, trains etc. Silence is golden for me and I would think a lot of other people. I hate the dependence on petroleum to sustain our current lifestyle but have no viable solution myself. Something will give eventually, either our lifestyle, or a breakthrough in the energy world and it will be driven by ACTUAL lack of oil and the Big Oil people finally investing/extorting their way into the new direction. I really do think electric motivation is going to get bigger in our lives regardless. Would like a test ride on one of those silent streeters someday.

Kelly, building dams will piss off even more greenies, the fish will suffer! I totally agree with your idea, though.

 

[Motosportz]

Kelly, building dams will piss off even more greenies, the fish will suffer! I totally agree with your idea, though.

Show them pix of the gulf coast and tell them to STFU.

Hey why not show chinas recent oil mess too...

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/07/oil_spill_in_dalian_china.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/07/oil_spill_in_dalian_china.html