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Enertia - an Electric Motorcycle Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - Ehud Rattner Home >> Picture Of The Day >> Green Technology   
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| The US-based Brammo Inc. has recently introduced Enertia, an electric motorcycle that offers users an ecological means of transport. Unlike most 'green' vehicles, Enertia's performance promises to match that of most motorbikes, while keeping clean the surrounding air. | ||||||||||
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The Brammo Enertia was announced several months ago, but only recently was it made available for sale. It is a motorcycle powered solely by electricity; therefore, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted is reduced by 92% in comparison to a standard car. However, the vehicle's 'refuel' time – or to be more accurate, its recharge time – is approximately 3 hours, significantly longer than most vehicles'. Each such recharge is good for a 35 to 45 miles drive. The Enertia features horsepower of 13.7, produced by its High Output Permanent Magnet DC motor. The supplied battery is based on Lithium Ion Phosphate (76.7V voltage) and its pack current is of 240A. Unlike most sport motorbikes, the Enertia has no clutch since it is equipped with single speed direct chain drive. Drivers that wish to avoid the feeling of the roads' roughness might enjoy the vehicle's suspension system. The front suspension has a telescopic fork with 45mm stanchions, and the back suspension features Single Fox "Float" air shock. Furthermore, the chassis was built using carbon fiber monocoque. The whole vehicle weighs 280-lbs; its length is 80", its width is 12.5", the wheelbase is measured at 55" and the seat height is 33". Although such weight seems pretty heavy – especially when considering the abovementioned dimensions – it is common trait among 'green' motorcycles. Furthermore, it does not decrease its acceleration much; according to Brammo the Enertia goes from 0 to 40mph in just 5.88 seconds. This YouTube video shows one of the Enertia's test-rides, from which it is evident that the new motorbike is as good as any other fuel-based motorcycle. However, its high price of $12,000 would probably hinder most potential buyers. TFOT has covered other 'green' vehicles, such as the Shelby Ultimate Aero Electric Car, promised to match any non-ecological car by performance, and the Peugeot Magnet, a futuristic concept of powering cars via magnetic power. Other related stories include the Easy-Glider X6, which is a strange hybrid between a scooter and a SegWay, and the TH!NK Ox, a five-seater, fully electric car developed in Norway. For more information about the Enertia motorcycle, see its website. |
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See the electric Enertia Car at: www.EnertiaMotors.com |
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This "motorcycle" is likely to be a non-starter at $12K. For appx $5K, you can buy a 250 cc Kawasaki Ninja that gets 60+ MPG, has a 300+ mile range, and has the power to ride at highway speeds. Refueling time? About 2 minutes. Gasoline powered motorcycles and scooters are already highly "green" when compared to the average car. They represent a good step in the right direction without resorting to expensive electric technology. |
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To Kim G. the legal highway speed is 55 mph, and you can take the Brammo Enertia on the highway, and it\'s made in America, and America needs jobs such as manufacturing, we\'ve now seen the end result of a service based only economy work place. Innovative and new technology is always expensive at first, research and development is a necessary expenditure for a company, and even with \"GAS\" power motorcycles and scooters, you\'re still dependent on \"CRUDE OIL\" from which \"GAS\" comes from, and I\'ve yet to see clean \"GAS\". The \"GREEN CARS\" run more efficiently and burn less crude, but in the end they still use \"GASOLINE\". I seem to remember the first Iphones were 599.00, now you can get one for 199.00. If it\'s marketed right it will sell as an alternative to a gas powered motorcycle. How much would it cost in gas over a 5 to 7 year period with a Kawasaki Ninja? |
