http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/electric-motorcycle-sets-sp eed-record/
Mission Motors, an electric motorcycle startup based in San Francisco, said Tuesday that its prototype vehicle had set a world speed record for battery-powered bikes of 150.059 miles per hour at the Bonneville Speedway in Utah. That was the average speed achieved during two, mile-long trials but the motorcycle, called the Mission One, hit 161 m.p.h. on the Bonneville Salt Flats during one run on Sept 1. Speed matters for what amounts to the Tesla Roadster of electric motorcycles. "Our focus is on the market that is most motivated by performance," said Forrest North, the co-founder and chief executive of Mission Motors and a former battery engineer at the high-end electric car maker, Tesla. Mr. North is bringing a bit of that company's strategy to Mission Motors: Build a stylish, high-tech, high-priced electric vehicle for enthusiasts, and then move down the market with less expensive models. An initial, limited edition of the Mission One will retail for $68,995 before tax incentives when it goes on sale in 2010. "The biggest competition is the high bar set by gasoline vehicles. By going out to Bonneville we can compare very comparably to gasoline motorcycles," Mr. North said. A high-performance gas motorcycle can reach speeds in excess of 200 m.p.h. What riders won't get with the Mission One is that "Easy Rider" rumble (sorry Harley aficionados). The motorcycle is not silent, but as the bike accelerates, its electric motor sounds more like a turbine revving up. *********************************** * POST TO MEDIANEWS@ETSKYWARN.NET * *********************************** Medianews mailing list Medianews@etskywarn.net http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
