Brammo reveals 100mph Empulse electric motorcycle [engadget.com]

[D-Mac]

Very interesting development. A major improvement over their last bike, which is only about a year old. If I lived in a major city, I'd think hard about this.

Cut the price down to under 8K, increase the range 50% (or decrease charging time), and maybe increase the HP another 25%. Then I'll buy one.

They're getting closer.......I'm rooting for these guys.

EDIT: Watched the video. They're smart to sell different options. It looks cool and well built too. Put some bags on that thing and I'm tempted NOW. Someone is gonna get this formula right and it'll do for them what the Dream/CB350/CB750 did for Honda.

[chornbe]

Very interesting development. A major improvement over their last bike, which is only about a year old. If I lived in a major city, I'd think hard about this.

Cut the price down to under 8K, increase the range 50% (or decrease charging time), and maybe increase the HP another 25%. Then I'll buy one.

I think your wants are a little in conflict. Inside a major city, I would say the need for increasing HP is obviated by the short distances, stop-n-start nature and the fact that the harder you run it, the less running time you get (which is true of all the electrics).

I'd argue that the major push shouldn't be for more power, but for longer running times and shorter charges - even if, in the urban setting, you actually end up losing some top-end speed. If the top speed is, say, 50, you can get to 50 on one of these much faster than nearly every car you're likely to be lined up with at the stop signs and red lights in the city.

Plus... HP becomes less and less meaningful with electrics, for anything but bench racing and marketing. Considering the torque is relatively flat with most electric motors, the HP simply comes at a cost of battery by increasing RPM.

They're getting closer.......I'm rooting for these guys.

Agreed. I think it's a promising industry.  

[Giaka]

I'd argue that the major push shouldn't be for more power, but for longer running times and shorter charges - even if, in the urban setting, you actually end up losing some top-end speed.

Real world commuting, 20 hp and 45 ft lbs would be plenty along with a 100 mile range and two up capability at reasonable speeds (50 ish MPH) and ful rechanrge under 6 hours. They are almost there, this time next year things will be different.

[steve.m]

Interesting bike, but with 100 miles of range it wouldn't get me to work and back.  I'm waiting for batteries that can be fully recharged quickly, not in hours.  

in that case you're waiting for capacitors with longevity, not batteries with rapid recharging.

[Galo]

$14,000 for the 100 mile ranger.

So? Aren't there a few Hardleys that have roughly the same numbers?
 

[Mookie]

My Superduke fits that number range depending on how much I twist the fun stick.

I'd say this e-bike has some serious potential.  If the Fed gives tax credits that can get the price down to around $7500 and the batteries last decently then it could be a perfect commuter bike.

[JonS]

This type of bike is finally getting good looks to go with the technology. Geek appeal just doesn't work for most riders, including me. Once the technology makes the bikes practical for anything beyond commuting I would be interested. Competitive price too. It's only a matter of time. Each round, they get closer.

[scarecrow]

That is a vacuum cleaner gaining on you. I'm all for electric motorcycles. Ecological reason aside they are simpler and promise much greater reliability and ultimately can be much cheaper with good production numbers. I give electric bikes 5 more years before they start to trounce some popular gasoline crotch rockets.

[lizard]

These are getting closer to being a viable solution every quarter. I think battery technology is on the verge of exploding and making an ev bike my daily commuter.

[azharrison]

So, how can I remove the baffels on this thing to make it "safe" and LOUD!?!  

I think it would make a much better commuter bike right now than an ST machine... that is how they should be marketing it for now...

Noone is gonna dump their Gixxer for a BLAMMO based on performance...  but the commuter crowd may embrace this concept in droves!

My hats off to them!  It is a sexy looking bike!

[rino]

My ride was 101 miles yesterday....tryin to think what outlet is near the 1 mile mark from my house

Now don't get me wrong...I'm as hippie tree hugger as many out there but i'm curious how much the electricity to power the thing costs...I love salmon fishing and those damn dams are another contention.

I'd be all over an electric moped that could do 40mph for in town hops...

[azharrison]

Usually technology offers a step FORWARD,  because of the new global awareness we are taught to feel guilty for our gas powered toys!  But necessity is the mother of invention.  This motorcycle is at the point where it is a viable option at a reasonable price for many people.  BUT for most of us on this group, honestly, it doesn't suit the needs of our sport!  Limited to 100 miles per day on a cross country tour?  Unacceptable.  

It is cool that they made it look like a Ducati Monster, BUT I dont think they will get many cross consumers from that market.  

[scarecrow]

My ride was 101 ......... i'm curious how much the electricity to power the thing costs...

I don't know what the price of electricity is where you live but a general calculation shows it would cost about 1/2 cent per mile where I live. To put that in perspective my Kaw KLR650 cost about 4 cents per mile to operate. That's fuel cost and does not include wear and tear on tires and oil changes and such.

[chornbe]

So, how can I remove the baffels on this thing to make it "safe" and LOUD!?!  

I think it would make a much better commuter bike right now than an ST machine... that is how they should be marketing it for now...

Noone is gonna dump their Gixxer for a BLAMMO based on performance...  but the commuter crowd may embrace this concept in droves!

My hats off to them!  It is a sexy looking bike!

I don't think anyone in the EV or Bike world really expects a bike with 20-100 mile ranges to be anything BUT an urban commuter.  

[bomber]

These are getting closer to being a viable solution every quarter. I think battery technology is on the verge of exploding and making an ev bike my daily commuter.

I've got a very short commute, and this scoot would be ideal -- I'd be interested in seeing system-wide costs (electricity, pollution for the generation thereof, what's recycling the batteries gonna nick me in 5 years, et al) . . . .

Without trying to be a bummer, battery tech has been on the verge of exploding for years and years . . . tech doesn't generally make a great leap forward -- more often, it's slow evolution that, once it becomes affordable and usable, LOOKS like it changed overnight.

[steve.m]

to anyone who touts themself as a hippy tree hugger...food for thought.

the oil we burn is has a massive amount of energy density, it's the most efficient form of transportable energy we have.

batteries require mining lithium, a process that requires huge amounts of energy that exceeds the energy consuption of drilling rigs.  this mining (at the moment) is primarily taking place in central and south america, where it is strip mined from underneath what used to be rain forest.

batteries have hazardous chemicals that the earth can not convert to something else.  carbon can be absorbed by the planet naturally.  it's been here all along, it'll stay here, we're not creating anything new.

the energy consumption required to deliver a finished battery is greater than that used to produce gasoline (read larger carbon footprint)

so logically being a "tree hugger" is not that at all, as we're cutting them down to obtain the material to make batteries.  that justification simply isn't a viable reason for driving electric vehicles unless the technology improves the point that we no longer rely on relatively scarce minerals buried beneath rain forrests to to power our transportation.

just hoping to shed a bit of light on the problem we're facing.  we're not going cleaner or better, we're just trading one ecological disaster for another.  The solution isn't how to obtain energy from other sources, it's reducing the energy we already consume.

[chornbe]

MOAR NOOKS!

[steve.m]

that's not my point, i'm not against electric vehicles, but our current problems can't be solved by plugging in your car at night.  battery tech is coming along, and im all for it, but i'd rather see a supercapacitor get developed that uses less material, has the energy density of a battery and weighs less overall than push more and more for environmentally toxic batteries.

[bomber]

I can see the scene at the local 24 hour gas station -- a buncha young bloods, crowded around the new Nook car one of their buddies scored, figuring out how to remove more of those rod thingies for more power!

[chornbe]

that's not my point, i'm not against electric vehicles, but our current problems can't be solved by plugging in your car at night.  battery tech is coming along, and im all for it, but i'd rather see a supercapacitor get developed that uses less material, has the energy density of a battery and weighs less overall than push more and more for environmentally toxic batteries.

I honestly believe in more nuclear power plants.