ATGATT, unless you had to travel light and were offered a ride on a prototype ebike.

The Native X electric supermoto is the latest prototype bike in the Electric Motorsport line and is quickly becoming their best known, thanks to its starring role in the TTXGP …um …pits. Its rough-edged looks are borrowed from the SACHS X-Road and an impressive stack of lithium tied to the DC motor inspire the inner hooligan.

At the tail end of my time in San Francisco during TTXGP week, I stopped by Oakland, CA to visit Todd Kollin, Raul Aguilar and Martin Guerra at Electric Motorsport HQ. If you’re looking to build a prototype for an electric vehicle in the powersports segment, Electric Motorsport is the go-to shop. Many big names in electric motorcycle manufacturing have more have worked with EMS for prototyping, to source parts or to buy parts for their electric powersports products.

This puts Electric Motorsport in a unique position of having a solid financial base under their Native brand of eMoto products. It also gives them boat loads of industry knowledge. Need a four wheeler that disassembles to fit down a manhole cover and does not fill tight places with exhaust fumes? EMS can and is doing that for a customer. Check out Urban Moto to find out more about these guys.

Click the break to read more and see a video of the bike.

Native X Electric Supermoto

The Native X’s current state is somewhat of a prototype. The rolling chassis is licensed from Sachs but the “gas tank” will not be included in the final Native design. It might be cool to crowd source the design of the tank, get some enthusiasts engaged and build up some inbound links from disgruntled designers trying muscle cash back into their bank accounts.

Native X Electric Supermoto

The Native X’s current state is somewhat of a prototype. The rolling chassis is licensed from Sachs but the “gas tank” will not be included in the final Native design. It might be cool to crowd source the design of the tank, get some enthusiasts engaged and build up some inbound links from disgruntled designers trying muscle cash back into their bank accounts.

Electrical Trickery

The bike I rode is 64 Volt nominal of 20 Thundersky 40 LiFePO4 cells. The juice runs through an Altrax 7234 controller and to an EMC RT (aka Mars RT meo7099) permanent magnet DC motor. The custom Battery Management System (BMS) will log data captured while monitoring each of the battery pack’s 20 cells.

The “data logging BMS” will record information on battery pack health, capacity, usage and other interesting metrics which can be downloaded to your computer via wifi, Ethernet or with a smartphone like an iPhone. This could give the owner and Electric Motorsport the ability to remotely troubleshoot any issues with the battery pack. The battery pack is wired with a series of LED lights that flash when the bike is activated. Check out the video to see the light show in action.

The Ride

My short spin around the block proved the bike was a blast to ride. Suspension was nice and stiff and about as refined as you would expect on a bike this price. Light throttle application was rewarded with the instant power that electric drive promises.

Sales Model

Todd has a unique sales models in mind for the Native X supermoto. He would like to build a list of 30 or so people interested in purchasing the bike. Electric Motorsport would then source all the parts to build the bike and deliver it as a kit for the customer to put together. The idea would be to keep the cost down and allow more technical riders a way to get into electric drive. Prices are to be determined.

Test Ride: Native X Electric Supermoto Prototype ©, .

2009 Team Agni Plastic At Elkhart Lake TTXGP Round2

The eGrandPrix organization has been working hard all season to bring electric motorcycle racing to the world. With 3 electric motorcycle racing series in 3 parts of the world and a final in Spain, it is the most extensive electric race series to date. Azhar Hussain and the TTXGP crew are all-in on this electric motorcycle racing thing and they need your help to make it better in 2011.

For most of this year the TTXGP Technical Rules Wiki has been open to anyone who wants to help shape the TTXGP racing rules for 2011. Harry Mallin, a man dedicated to the success of the electric motorcycle industry, moderates and runs the TTXGP Wiki. Check out some tips on how to get started editing the TTXGP Rules Wiki and dive in. Don’t worry about making mistakes, everything can be changed back or moved to the right spot.

“We have had some great discussions on the Wiki about many subjects, including racing classifications, automatic shut-off switches, and streamlining,” said Mallin.  ”People need to check out the rules, and then click on the tab on the top of the page, marked ‘discussion,’ in order to see where the real debate is happening.”

Mallin indicated that people from many walks of life are participating in the Wiki.  ”We have former racers, current teams, race fans, and electrical engineers making contributions to this Wiki.  We have folks from the U.S., Great Britain, Spain and Sweden who have made comments.”

A “snapshot” of the Wiki will be taken on August 15, 2010, and that version of it will be submitted to the Technical Advisory Panel of the TTXGP to be considered for the 2011 Rules.  The Wiki will continue past that date, but any comments made after that date will affect the 2012 Rules.

Less than 2 weeks left to shape the 2011 race season!

2011 TTXGP Rules Wiki Wrapping Up Soon! ©, .

Brammo Empulse RR At Laguna Seca. Credit: AsphaltAndRubber.com

I’ll be honest, when I read tweets from Laguna Seca saying Brammo had a shot at beating MotoCzysz or even Lightning I was thinking… “wow, that is a very nice thing to say when the bike Brammo scrambled to prep for the race broke down and you know @brammoCraig is listening… no chance.” Then I saw some tweets that made me think twice.

I hope I’m not the only one who assumed Brammo was going to regear and dress up the 2009 TTR for track duty at the e-Power race at Laguna Seca. After all, the Empulse prototype was visually very close to the TTR. But I think I’m starting to get it now.

First I saw Brammo drop the price of the Enertia 33% just months after it went on sale. I then saw them introduce a 100+ mph electric sportbike with 100 mile range setting a new standard for price, speed and range. Now I see pictures of the Empulse RR up close and it may have finally clicked. Brammo wants to win at everything it does. I thought third place at the 2009 TTXGP was pretty good but to Brammo it is not acceptable.

More after the break…

Asphalt And Rubber covered the changes to Brammo Empulse RR very well in a recent article. I have a few pics and thoughts to add to the conversation.

Empulse 8.0 (above) Empulse RR Laguna (below)

The Empulse RR battery pack appears to be one solid box that replaces the 8 cells in the Empulse 8.0. It may be two boxes mounted with one above and one below but it is hard to tell. Craig Bramscher told me the pack is over 10 kWh. A&R says 12.5 kWh.

The back voltage is also higher than the Empulse 8.0 but Craig did not disclose how much higher. Judging by the stickers on the front, the pack contains Leyden Energy cells. Their website claims their cylindrical and pouch cells can operate safely and stay stable at higher temperatures than other Lithium cells. They also do not produce any gas which prevents bloating and eventual failure.

The picture above also makes it obvious that the top of the rear shock is larger and is mounted further up and closer to the tank. This is most likely a result of the larger swingarm shown in the next picture.

Empulse 8.0 Prototype swingarm (above) vs. Empulse RR Laguna (below)

The Sapa aluminum swingarm on the Empulse RR at Laguna is massive and is no doubt as rigid as it looks. Bramscher says this unit will probably end up on the Empulse production bike. It is easier to see in the picture below but the RR Laguna swingarm pivot is much further forward than the Empulse 8.0 meaning the geometry is totally different.

The rear wheel is also noticeably closer to the motor which could mean one of a few things. The wheel base could be shorter as a result of how they engineered the swingarm. The motor mount is different on the RR and could move the motor further back towards the wheel; possibly to make room for the battery pack and swingarm pivot. With all the hoses on the RR it could be a different motor altogether than the Perm 150 W used on the Brammo TTR.

Regardless of whether the motor is the same or different Brammo put something between the motor and the rear sprocket. Check out the last picture below.

Empulse 8.0 prototype (above) vs. Empulse RR Laguna (below)

The front sprocket sitting behind the rearset/footpeg is not attached directly to the motor. There is some sort of “transmission” (for lack of better word) attached to the motor spindle to transfer rotation to the drive sprocket. My guess is this mechanism is a 1 to 1 gear ratio that allows the front sprocket to be centered on the axis of rotation for the rear axle so the chain tension stays consistent through the travel of the rear swingarm. No gears to change as with most electric motorcycles.

And that’s all I have. Did I miss anything in my over-analaysis of the Brammo Enertia? Brian Wismann, if you read this, please save me the time and document all this stuff huh? Ah, never mind. Your time is better spent kick’n ass with the Brammo team. The rate of change in products and ideas coming out of Brammo HQ is inspirational. (No, I’m not trying to become the next evangelist, my man Harry has it nailed. )

Next time someone asks you why electric motorcycles are cool, point them to this article and ask them the last time their favorite color liter bike ( <- annoying autoplay vid warning) changed this much in one year. The evolution of electric motorcycles is amazing to watch and it has all just begun.

Laydon Energy cells power the Empulse RR

Empulse RR Photos: Asphalt And Rubber

Brammo Empulse RR Pack’n Heat At e-Power ©, .

Brammo Empulse RR At Laguna Seca via AsphaltAndRubber.com

Asphalt And Rubber posted a pic of the Brammo Empulse RR on the track at Laguna Seca. It was the first one I saw and possibly the first published picture. Unfortunately a failure in a one-off piece will keep the Empulse off the grid tomorrow. Craig Bramscher says Brammo will race again this year. TTXGP at VIR being the most likely guess at where they will end up.

e-Power Practice Results

MotoCzysz had the best lap at 1:50.377. Lightning motors was one second behind at 1:51.358 followed by DR Motors another 1 second behind (1:52.266). Check out the rest of the practice times at RRW.

Zero Motorcycles Test Rides

Zero Motorcycles have many bikes waiting for test rides.

Julie @futurefluff posted a pic from the Brammo Empulse unveiling. I’m sure BrammoFan will have full update soon.

I will update this post with more pics as they come.

FIM e-Power Practice Pictures and Updates ©, .

Image Credit: AsphaltAndRubber.com

This weekend is e-Power at Laguna Seca and I am going to do my best to break down the field and give a rough guess at how the teams stack up. This is no easy task but I’m feeling brave.

There are a few new names and many of the usual suspects on the grid which should make for some great racing throughout the field. Each electric race bike has it’s own strengths and weaknesses resulting from the level of funding the team has and techniques used to put down power and get the most out of the little energy stored in the heavy batteries on board. The clear favorite to win is Michael Czysz riding the e1pc D1g1tal Superbike he designed and built. As you work your way down the field the riders experience is also vastly different from team to team making picking the ranks very difficult. Some are new to racing electric and some are veterans with 2 years under their belt.

Lightning Motors A Contender for the podium

One glaring omission to the e-Power grid is Team Agni, winners of the 2009 TTXGP are not scheduled to race. The 2010 Agni bikes are most likely in the UK for this weekends TTXGP UK race. However, the 2009 bike was last seen in the United States at Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin. After the race it was wheeled onto a Zero Motorcycle pickup truck that I can only assume was headed to San Jose which is a stones throw from Laguna Seca. Agni missed the race in Canada due to “logistical problems”. Is it safe to assume Zero did not want to drive out to Canada? Zoe Rem, rode the bike at Elkhart Lake and will be at Laguna Seca. I’ll stop speculating now and wait to hear back from Team Agni PR on the real story.

The second glaring omission is Lightning Motors, current points leaders of the TTXGP North American Series. Rumor has it they got their papers in late and with FIM shelling out cash to get teams on the grid I doubt hey will turn their nose up at one of the stronger challengers to the MotoCzysz team.

Update: Lightning Motors was seen at the track. Thanks Julie!

Lightning Motors and pilot Michael Barnes have become very comfortable walking away from the field with the huge acceleration of their EV-1 powered bike. If they do show I really want to know how long Barney can hang with MotoCzysz. Czysz’s Intimate knowledge of the bike and Laguna Seca will be a great advantage to team MotoCzysz and he most likely has more energy on board. The first lap of the race should be awesome and I can’t wait to see hear (doh) how the rest of the show down unfolds.

Update: The Brammo Empulse RR suffered a mechanical failure that can not be fixed in time for the race.

AMA Pro Aaron Gobert on the new Brammo Empulse RR should put up a great fight over the length of the course. The bike’s light weight will make up ground where its acceleration comes up sort of Czysz and Lightning machines. Brammo is definitely a podium contender and 3rd place should be the most interesting fight during the race.

FIM e-Power series leaders Thijs De Ridder on the Crystalite-Europe.com Racing bike and Betti Moto (Thomas Betti) may also be in the fight for a podium spot. Both teams have a win under their belts but I am having trouble tracking down lap times to shed more light on speed. Christian Amendt will be on the grid with an improved Epo-Bike.de electric race bike thanks to new battery sponsors. Münch Racing Team is running a bike based on the 2009 TTXGP second place XXL Racing machine. They finished ahead of Brammo on the Isle Of Man, can they do it on the shorter, tighter Mazda Raceway?

Look for strong showings from ElectricRaceBikes.com and Mike Hannas who have show consistent performance in the TTXGP NA series including a 3rd place podium at Infineon. Zero Motorcycles is backing K Squared Racing and Kenyon Kluge. Kluge is running a modified Zero S. He added batteries and upped the voltage for Infineon but he ran out of juice after the final turn. If he can find some tricks to increase the kWh on board or conserve energy he should have a solid race.

Ely Schless the Pro Moto Racing team is new to the grid but anything but new to electric motorcycles. Schless invented the Electric Moto Blade with is one of the first electric production dirtbikes. He is also an inventor and must be a bit of a showman considering he built the Snuggle Fabric Softener bear. How can you not love that annoying but cuddly robot mascot?

Zoe Rem will be back on the Pril Motors bike she rode at Infineon. Pril does not make the power of the rest of the bikes but the bike can go the distance.

If you’re out at the races please take pictures and post them up on the web. I can’t be there but will be scanning the net and monitoring twitter and facebook for any view into the action I can get. Be sure to get a test ride on the Zero Motorcycles bikes and check out the unveiling of the beautifully naked electric Brammo Empulse.

If you see Brammo Fan congratulate him on winning the Brammo Enertia. If you see Jenson Beeler from Asphalt And Rubber smile and hold up your “PlugBike Rocks” sign, he has been posting shots on the website since Thursday and will be covering the e-Power action. But whatever you do stay clear of the guys from Hell For Leather. They will probably be partying and doing bathroom dyno runs on the latest electric offerings which can’t be good for your lungs. Like I said, be sure to take pictures! :D The fans are critical to getting the word out about electric racing until the mainstream media deems it worthy.

Count Down To FIM e-Power At Leguna Seca ©, .

The twin AC induction motor, 135 mph, 100 mile range ROEHR Motorcycles eSuperBike is ready to order, making it the fastest production electric money can buy. With $2000 down you can have one in your driveway in six weeks. The eSuperBike uses 7.7 kWh of LiFePO4 batteries for an electric drive system running at 96 Volts. Nominal current is 800 amps with a 1200 amps peak. The eROEHR Battery Management System monitors the battery health and self diagnoses the bike’s electric drive system.

At 500 pounds for the eSuperBike ($27,595), ROEHR is depending on 96 HP to get the bike out of the turns. The smooth, high coverage composite body provides aerodynamic looks and helps deliver high top speeds on the straights. This formula has served Lightning Motors well in the TTXGP North American series. It will also be MotoCzysz’s strategy when Michael Czysz and the e1pc take to Laguna Seca this weekend for the first FIM e-Power race on American soil. The e1pc has been said to weigh as much as a Goldwing. With today’s battery technology this seems to be a winning formula for electric motorcycle racing.

A bike with big power and weight needs good suspension, brakes and ground clearance to keep the mass in line at race speeds. The eSuperBike RR ($34,495) is ROEHR’s race version that has all the specs of the eSuperBIke plus Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes and the required safety and race specific components and setup. One challenge ROEHR will have is keeping two AC-20 AC Induction motors cool under the beautiful high coverage plastic.

The less expensive and lighter eSuperSport ($16,969) is also available with a single motor running a 48 HP / 96 Volt 48 Volt system and lower top speed of 100 mph. The 60 mile range is slightly higher than current road going electric motorcycle offerings. Honestly, this bike has little competition in the full fairing sportbike category.  The Electric Motorsport eGPR-S being the only other true full fairing production electric motorcycle. The ROEHR eSuperSport sets the standard for performance and looks.

I had the pleasure of watching the TTXGP race with Walter Roehrich and his brother at TTXGP Road America and talking a little bit about these bikes. It sounds like there are quiet a few people in line to get this bike already. Walter wanted to get this bike on the grid at TTXGP this year but he chose to take his time refining the bike. Dealers such as Hollywood Electrics, a dedicated electric motorcycle dealer in LA and other customers have had orders in since the bike was announced and Roehrich is looking to deliver on his promises. Props to Roehrich for making choices based on integrity and quality before pursuing the glory of racing. No doubt the ROEHR based teams will put up a great fight in 2011 electric racing season.

ROEHR Electric Motorcycle Specifications

ROEHR eSuperbike and (RR Version)

Drivetrain:

Twin AC Induction Motors
96HP
Single speed direct drive
Ratio 12:54

Batteries:
Large format, cylindrical LiFePO4
Capacity: 7.7 Kw/h
96 Volts/ 80Ah
800 amps (continuous)
1200 amps (max)

Battery Management System:
LVC, HVC, Shunt balancing
On- board 6 amp charger

Chassis:
Steel twin spar beam frame with integral
motor and battery mounting substructure.
Rake: 24deg
Trail: 89mm
Wheelbase: 56in.

Suspension:
Front:
41 mm inverted front forks (43mm Ohlins inverted) RR version
Rear:
Ohlins Single shock with linkage

Wheels:
Front:
3.0 x 17 6 spoke aluminum (3.5 x 17 lightweight) RR version
Rear:
4.5 x 17 6 spoke aluminum (6.0 x 17 lightweight) RR version

Brakes:
2 x 300mm discs (2 x 320mm for RR)
2 x 4 piston Brembo front calipers (2 x 4 piston radial) RR version

Tires:
120/70/17 front (120/70/17) RR version
170/60/17 rear (180/55/17) RR version

Overall weight:
500 lbs.

Range:
100 miles (urban cycle)
75 miles (combined cycle)

Note: Actual range will vary depending on speed, load and terrain conditions.

MSRP:
$27,595 ($34,495) RR version

ROEHR eSupersport

Drivetrain:
Single AC Induction Motor
48 HP
Single speed direct drive
Ratio 12:60

Batteries:
Large format, cylindrical LiFePO4
Capacity: 5.8 Kw/h
96 Volts/ 60Ah
600 amps (continuous)
900 amps (max)

Battery Management System:
LVC, HVC, Shunt balancing
On- board 15 amp charger

Chassis:
Steel twin spar beam frame with integral
motor and battery mounting substructure.
Rake: 24deg
Trail: 89mm
Wheelbase: 56in.

Suspension:
Front:
41 mm inverted front forks
Rear:
Single shock with linkage

Wheels:
Front:
3.0 x 17 6 spoke aluminum
Rear:
4.0 x 17 6 spoke aluminum

Brakes:
2 x 300mm discs
2 x 2 piston front calipers

Tires:
110/70/17 front
150/60/17 rear

Overall weight:
395 lbs.

Range:
80 miles (urban cycle)
60 miles (combined cycle)

Note: Actual range will vary depending on speed, load, and terrain conditions.

MSRP:
$16,965

135 mph Roehr eSuperBike Ready To Order ©, .

Chip Yates and the SWIGZ.com Pro Racing team have been hard at work putting together the electric race bike equivalent to 600cc petrol bike performance. The team showed up at the first TTXGP race at Infineon this year with their bike but it was not ready to race as they had hoped. Turns out the Headway cells they sourced did not live up to the performance and weight spec they were promised. 50 grams over the 300 gram spec translated to just shy of 40 lbs of unplanned weight. Now $12,000 in the hole Chip and Team started looking for new batteries and are hoping to have the $40K worth of new cells from a different manufacturer in hand this month. The plan is to race at Virgina International Raceway for the final leg of the TTXGP North American series if the batteries are delivered on time. Unfortunately for Yates and the fans FIM e-Power is not going to happen for them in 2010.

SWIGZ.com Pro Racing Superbike with out-of-spec cells.

The battery setback was just one piece of bad luck for the Yates in 2010. Chip’s bid for FIM World Supersport came up short after the group he contracted to built his GSXR race bike engine under-delivered leaving him with a slower bike than he had in 2009. As a result, Chip and his team are concentrating exclusively on their electric program where he is building strong partners and using his engineering background to help pioneer a new frontier of racing.

Despite the setbacks this year Chip and his team are optimistic about the technology they are developing.  On his website Chip also talks more about the electronics that control the electric race bike. I posted a while back about SWIGZ.com Pro Racing’s “Race Finishing Algorithm” that computes throttle usage trends, distance left in the race, and other factors and decides how much power to put down. Chip also has a “push-to-pass” button to allow for extra speed when passing another rider. This is all programmed by his MIT educated team of engineers using a MicroStain Inertia-Link and MoTeC ACL. Basically a bunch of high tech, expensive gadgetry used to keep F1 race cars from roasting their tires and flying off the track.

Check out the Chip Yates Official Status page for more information on the SWIGZ.com Pro Racing effort and an interesting interview with Chip on the left sidebar.

Source: Chip Yates SWIGZ.com Pro Racing Images: Chip Yates

SWIGZ.com Pro Racing Out For Seca, Shooting For VIR ©, .

Laguna Seca FIM e-Power Grid

UPDATE: FIM posted an updated list here. SWIGZ.com Pro Racing will not attend e-Power at Laguna Seca.

FIM will hold its first e-Power race in the United States at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California next week. Seca is not only one of the best known tracks in the US, it is also smack in the middle of Lithium Valley. There are some familiar names in the list and a few new ones. AMA pilot Aaron Gobert will be riding the just announced Brammo Empulse. Gobert is no stranger to Brammo’s fast bikes, he did some track testing time with the TTR before last year’s TTXGP.

Unfortunately, it seems Epo Bike might not make it due to airline tickets lost in a travel agency bankruptcy. This is really a tough break for the team and for the fans. The Epo-bike was upgraded and ready to take on the world with the same speed-through-light-weight philosophy that helped Tork win last weekend at the Snetterton TTXGP UK

If you are going to Seca I am jealous. Please feel free to rub it in but don’t expect me to like it. :D

Listen to Gobert’s thoughts on the TTR (the basis for the Empulse) in the video after the break.

Thanks for the tip Anon!

FIM E-Power Grid For Laguna Seca Announced To Riders ©, .

Today Brammo is unveiling a prototype of the 2011 Brammo Empulse series of electric sportbikes. The Empulse 6.0, 8.0 and 10.0 are Brammo’s answer to many of the complaints motorcycle riders have about the current production electric motorcycles, a full embrace of the market for race inspired electric sportbikes and a continuation of their consumer electronics industry inspired philosophy of rapidly delivering better technology for less money.

All three Empulse models have a 100 mph+ top speed, a 60% improvement over the Enertia’s 60 mph top speed. No more anxiety about riding in the right lane with no go-juice on tap. The $9,995 Empulse 6.0 has a 60 mile range, the $11,995 Empulse 8.0 has an 80 mile range and the $13,995 Empulse 10.0 has a 100 mile range. No more range anxiety and with tax credits in some states bringing the price of the Empulse 10.0 down to $7000, much less financial anxiety.

On top of all these game changing improvements, the Empulse looks amazing. Brammo once again captured the essence of classic internal combustion motorcycles in an electric motorcycle in which the rotor in the motor is only rotating or oscillating part north of the drive chain. Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved the look of the Enertia. But the exposed motor and batteries of the Empulse will have all the lucky Enertia owners hunting for ways to drop the side panels.

Brammo knows that electric drive is sexy and all motorcyclists, electric enthusiasts or not, want to see the goods! Most of the influence appears to be cafe racer / street fighter. The lines of the tank and tail section remind me of a Ducati MH900e. A modern streetfighter headlight sits below a familiar Enertia instrument cluster and clip-on handlebars. High foot pegs and a beautifully detailed but equally high single seat complete a very aggressive riding position. Brammo logos are cleverly incorporated into the metal work as discretely as an HFL watermark. (where’s Waldo anyone?)

Underneath the game changing specs and sexy looks it appears Craig, Adrian, Brian, Aaron and gang have taken the TTR electric race bike that placed 3rd in the 2009 TTXGP and used it as a starting point of the Empulse prototype. Just like the TTR, the Empulse has 8 battery packs and a PERM PMS 150 W brushless, permanent magnet, AC synchronous motor. In the end, the “AK-Gas” sticker on the bottom of the Triumph Daytona 675 forks is a dead giveaway that this prototype is a TTR turned streetbike.

Let’s assume I’m right and production version of the Empulse retains the same battery pack and motor as the TTR. The Brammo Digital Powertrain will be a minimum of 110 Volts AC. “Brammo Power” will include Lithium Colbalt batteries that spin the motor to a continuous power of around 20 kW with peak power of 30 kW. This brings us 53 lb-ft of torque and 38 bhp through most of its 6000 rpm rev range. The weight of the bike might be in the high 3oo lbs range. Check out the comprehensive Brammo TTR article on Motorcyclist for more specifications on the TTR to continue this educated guessing game.

Brammo Enertia vs Brammo Empulse rider triangle

How can we expect this prototype to translate to a production version? The front calipers on the Empulse are Nissin instead of Brembo. Some pictures show the Empulse with the unmistakable Elka rear shock while others show a beefier unit that I can’t identify. It’s probably a good guess Brammo is finding ways to cut costs and build a bike that does not over deliver in places it does not need to. Brembo calipers are beautiful and lust-worthy but probably arn’t helping move Enertias out the door. No doubt Brammo’s success is affording them new found buying power when dealing with vendors.

Expect the high end Marchesini’s to be replaced by more reasonably priced wheels. The bike could also easily accept a set of handlebars and lower pegs for a more upright riding position. Could we see multiple riding positions in the model range? How about geek stoking user configurable power maps, open API and the wifi connectivity Brammo has hinted at?

In the press release copied below Brammo also mentions their intent to move beyond Best Buy a and online ordering for their distribution model. They are accepting applications from traditional dealers around the globe. Have a look at the press release, browse the pictures and watch the video and let me know what you think. Did Brammo nail it with the Empulse trio?

Breaking Down The 2011 Empulse

• The 100 mph top speed of all three Brammo Empulse models is a 60% improvement over the Brammo Enertia and it’s competition
• Empulse 6.0 = 60 mile range for $9,9995
• Empulse 8.0 = 80 mile range for $11,995
• Empulse 10.0 = 100 mile range for $13995
• After tax credits in some states the Empulse 10.0 could end up costing you $7000
• Brammo wants to get back into electric motorcycle racing
• The Empulse continues a rapid progression of technology for less money.
  • 9/18/2009 $11,995 Brammo Enertia
  • 11/09/2009 $7995 Brammo Enertia
  • Mid 2011 $9,999 Brammo Empulse 6.0

Brammo Announces the Empulse – a Trio of Electric Motorcycles Exceeding 100 mph, Including a Model That Can Travel up to 100 Miles on a Single Charge, With Prices Starting at $9995

ASHLAND, Ore., July 15 /PRNewswire/ — Brammo, Inc. announced today it will begin production of an electric sportbike, calling it the “Empulse.” Brammo demonstrated a pre-production prototype today and all three production models of the Empulse will be capable of sustaining 100 mph. The three models will have different battery capacities, all utilizing an innovative proprietary array, the Brammo Power™ battery and vehicle management system. The Empulse is available for immediate order and deliveries will commence in 2011.

Craig Bramscher, Founder and CEO of Brammo, said, “Motorcycle riders have been requesting increased speed and range and I am proud and delighted to reveal these game-changing Brammo electric motorcycles. Our customers expect Brammo to design and produce the world’s most exciting (and affordable) electric motorcycles and that’s exactly what we have done.” Bramscher continued, “Today’s announcement promises no more range anxiety for Brammo customers.”

The Empulse Trio

All three models of the Empulse will be freeway capable and will enjoy a top speed in excess of 100 mph. Each of the three models will offer customers a different average range from a single charge. The Empulse 6.0 is capable of 60 miles (96 kilometers) average range, the Empulse 8.0 is capable of 80 miles (129 kilometers) average range and the top of the line Empulse 10.0 is capable of a travelling 100 miles (161 kilometers) on a single charge. Range of all three models can be extended by travelling at lower speeds.
The estimated MSRP for the Empulse trio when deliveries start next year are; Empulse 6.0 $9,995, Empulse 8.0 $11,995 and Empulse 10.0 $13,995. All three models will be eligible for Federal and State tax incentives. For example, the Empulse 10.0 may cost as little as $7,000 in certain states after Federal and State incentives.

Empulse Technology

Today’s announcement sees the first application of Brammo’s innovative Brammo Digital Drivetrain™ including the Brammo Power™ battery pack and Brammo Power™ vehicle management system. Brammo’s breakthrough in price/energy density is at the heart of today’s announcement and is unequalled in the electric vehicle industry. The Empulse is also the world’s first production electric motorcycle to have a water cooled motor.

Brian Wismann, Director of Product Development at Brammo and designer of the Empulse, said, “The Empulse reveals the significant price performance that we can deliver using Brammo Power™ technology. Just like it did with the Enertia Powercycle, Brammo has again raised the bar in terms of electrical drivetrain innovation and time to market.”

Empulse Availability

Customers can place their order for an Empulse by visiting the Brammo website www.brammo.com . Deliveries are expected to commence in mid-2011 and orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Customers placing an order will be expected to place a refundable deposit once their Empulse is within 90 days of delivery. The Brammo range of motorcycles will be available globally through select motorcycle dealerships and participating Best Buy stores during 2011.

Brammo Distribution

Brammo is expanding its dealership network both within the USA and in Europe and Asia. Organizations interested in selling and servicing the Brammo range of motorcycles, which includes the award winning Enertia, can register their interest by visiting www.brammo.com/dealerapplication

Adrian Stewart, director of Sales and Marketing at Brammo, said, “We are always looking for individuals and organizations that want to enter into a long term business partnership with Brammo to sell and service our range of electric vehicles. JCAM, our distributor and dealer in Hong Kong and Singapore is an excellent example of such an organization.”

Forged in the Heat of Competition
Brammo Power™ technology employed in the Empulse is race proven in the Brammo Empulse RR race bike. You can see the Empulse RR in action at the 2010 Red Bull Grand Prix, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Brammo will race the Empulse RR in the FIM e-Power series which will see 15 electric motorcycle teams from around the world compete on this demanding circuit.

Meet the Empulse

Brammo CEO Craig Bramscher will be unveiling the Empulse at the 2010 Red Bull Grand Prix at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, 11.15am, Saturday July 24th 2010.
Later this year the Empulse will be at EICMA Milan, Italy and at the Macau Grand Prix, China.

About Brammo

Brammo, Inc. is a leading electric vehicle technology company headquartered in North America. Brammo designs and develops electric vehicles including the award winning Brammo Enertia motorcycle. Brammo is an OEM supplier of its innovative Brammo Digital Drivetrain™ systems including the Brammo Power™ battery pack and Brammo Power™ vehicle management system. Brammo has vehicle distribution and marketing operations in North America, Europe and Asia.

Brammo Empulse Video

Brammo Empulse Pictures

Introducing A Trio of Brammo Empulse Sportbike Prototypes ©, .

Jim Lovell And Tork India Take the checkered flag at Snetterton Image Credit: Dipam Patel and eGrandPrix

Tork India took first place in the opening round of TTXGP UK series at Snetterton this weekend. This win was somewhat of a surprise as their mostly new 2010 T002X electric motorcycle had never been tested under race conditions. Issues getting their bike onto the Isle Of Man kept team leader Kapil Shelke and his team from racing TT Zero while Team Agni, ManTTx and Kingston University were able to complete a full weekend of testing under race conditions.

During practice on Friday, Tork India managed to sort all mechanical issues including a ground clearance issue with the Battery Management System (BMS) mounting location and a blown motor. Some suspension tweaks and tire changes had them qualifying second fastest on Saturday, the day before the race.

How did these guys pull off the upset in Sunday’s final? First off, the teams of TTXGP are a rather helpful group of people in general. Cedric Lynch and Arvind Rabadia of Team Agni pioneered the dual Agni 95R drive setup and have been extremely generous helping other teams adopt the technology. Kapil and team have been chatting with Team Agni since the 2009 TTXGP at Isle Of Man and they are quick to give these guys credit for the help. Steve from Mavizen also stepped up to give Tork a replacement 95R after the practice session failure. Kapil also credits the skills of rider Jim Lovell for charging hard into turns with weak, under powered brakes.

Having a close look at the bike gives other clues. Tork India uses a very narrow 95 front tire and a 115 rear tire. This may have helped Lovell achieve the top speed advantage he had in the straights and allowed him to out accelerate the GSXR based Agni bikes out of the turns. The narrow profile of the bike and the open fairing allowed plenty of air to flow to the Agni 95R’s keeping them cool and running efficiently.

It seems this win could have Team Agni rethinking the apparently over built GSXR chassis or even thinking about streamlining as they did in TT Zero for higher top speed.

Kapil sums up the formula for success this way:

We are just showing the world the Indian way of doing things. You don’t need to spend a fortune to achieve something. Simple design and bike made from batteries, controllers from spares what Team Agni had. We just implemented with what we had and worked on our limitations.

In the end, Tork’s win was a well deserved and a strong nod toward hard work, smart engineering, perseverance and the value of good friends.

See the final results below. The race times tell the tale of the close battles between Jim Lovell on the T002X and Rob Moon and Jenny Tinmouth on the two Agni bikes. Be sure to check out the race on ESPN this week if your in the UK.

Photo Credits: Dipam Patel and eGrandPrix

Tork India Victorious At Snetterton TTXGP ©, .