Competition-oriented KTM have just announced that they’ve actually built a battery-powered, competition-ready race bike — pretty impressive stuff considering that nobody else has yet managed to make any two-wheeled vehicle bigger than a bicycle run far enough to be remotely useful.
In co-operation with Arsenal Research (an Austrian high-tech firm specializing in "drive technology, engineering, physics and software engineering”), KTM says they’ve build a zero-emission “sport-enduro” bike.
On top of all that, it’s actually a claimed 10 kg lighter than the company’s 200 or 250 XC models, with, they say, “performance that rivals a light Enduro with a combustion engine.”
The drive system from the battery, to electronics, engine itself, and necessary software was arrived at working with Arsenal, while the usual KTM high-end suspension and chassis bits are used. Not having an exhaust system, fuel tank, air box, or clutch offsets the weight of the lithium-ion batteries.
KTM says it’s serious about producing the bike for sale, and says that it has enough juice on board to run a 40-minute event and will recharge in about an hour. They also say that it produces 29.5 ft-lb of torque … a 250 four-stroke makes 19.2 …
Wow.
re comment “..no one has made an electric bike..remotely useful” Have a look at the Vectrix Scooter. 100kph, range up to 90km, ABS, several worldwide patents. Jay Leno really likes his, there is a video on his site. Alcoa and Boeing were involved in the design…The bike is sold in many countries…Italy has a 1200 Euro rebate…a big piece of money, and a big vote of confidence. Other Euro countries have rebates too..
This would be a blast at the local BMX track!