electric

Hong Kong Goes Electric Part Deuce

Brammo Enertia Plus LE

At the beginning of the month we shared a story on how Hong Kong is going electric. Now we’re following up with some fantastic pictures of their new Brammo police bikes. Check them out and tell us what you think by commenting below or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Brammo Enertia Plus LE

Brammo Enertia Plus LE

Brammo Enertia Plus LE

Brammo Enertia Plus LE

Brammo Enertia Plus LE

Hong Kong Goes Electric

Brammo bike at a charging station.

Before we give you some of these numbers, keep in mind that Hong Kong is only 426 square miles in total. With that said, Hong Kong has recently upped it’s game when it comes to electric vehicles and charging stations. Brammo is one the first companies to take advantage of this movement and has already sold a number of bikes to their police force. The number of EV’s (Electric Vehicles) being sold in the country has grown as well. This is surprising considering the size of the territory.

There are currently 310 EV’s riding around in Hong Kong. Just a year ago there was only 74. The government has 33 EV’s with another 43 arriving in the coming months. They will also be ordering another 140 by the end of the year.

A few private companies along with the government had already installed 500 charging stations and there will be 1000 by the end of June. This is a very big move for the country and it’s effort to reduce pollution levels.

We’re excited about the EV movement and look forward to big changes like these to be implemented in more areas around the United States. How do you feel about EV’s? Comment below with your thoughts or join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Smart eScooter Build

As a follow up to yesterday’s post, we wanted to take you on a video journey of the Smart eScooter being built. It’s pretty amazing to see everything come together.

Any bike builders out there? What’s your take on the process? Comment below or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Smart’s Electric Scooter

Smart Electric Scooter and Bike

Smart Car recently announced a plan to release an electric scooter in 2014. The electric scooter was originally unveiled in 2010 along with a plan for a Smart eBike. The electric versions of the ForTwo will launch this summer and delivery of the Smart eBikes is getting started soon.

We are excited to see the reaction consumers will have to these products. Do you think you’ll be riding one of these soon? Post your comments below or join our conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Zero Motorcycles

It’s been a while since we posted about new electric bikes so we’re starting off 2012 with one of the brightest looking companies in the industry, Zero Motorcycles. A recent report by Pike Research shows that Zero Motorcycles is one of the better positioned companies in the market to take advantage of this new age demand. Pike’s report is based on 12 different points.

• Staying Power
• Quality and Reliability
• Pricing
• Geographic Reach
• Partnerships
• To-To-Market Strategy
• Product and Position
• Technology
• Vision
• Product and Production Strategy
• Market Share
• Product Features

Zero understands that electric motorcycles should vary in styles and that there are several types of riders who are interested in this technology. This is why they have a full product line of street, dirt and dual sport bikes. We are excited to see how Zero impacts the market in 2012.

Zero Motorcycles Product Line

SynergEthic’s Tilter

View from the driver's seat.

As you know, we are always on the look out for new innovations in the world of “green” transportation. Recently, we found the Tilter, a fantastic creation by French entrepreneur, Eric Rose. The Tilter is an all electric, motorcycle-car which provides the driver with a top speed of 68 miles per hour and travels 0-60 in 13 seconds. A fully charged battery lasts for about 80 miles so the driver has some room to roam around town. Mass production of the Tilter should begin in 2012. So get ready, you may be seeing this 3 wheeled beauty zipping around pretty soon.

Looks like you can park anywhere.

Comfortably enter even in the tightest spaces.

Orphiro Electric Scooter

Orphir Electric Scooter

As environmental awareness continues to become more mainstream, more electric concepts hit the market on a regular basis. When we ran into the Dutch made, Orphir Electric Scooter, we were really impressed with the all around design. It looks like something out of the Back to the Future trilogy. Backed by five batteries, this sleek scooter can reach a top speed of 120 kph and cover a distance on 100km on a full charge. That is pretty average in comparison to the other electric scooters we have liked but the design elements of the Orphir had us at hello.

It's just inviting us to sit.

Beautiful "gas" tank.

BMW Motorrad Cocept E-Scooter

BMW E-Scooter

BMW, with funding from the German Federal Ministry, has come up with a scooter that promises to provide the rider with greater efficiency of performance, higher range and better maneuverability. The BMW E-Scooter will come equipped with a ‘high-performance electric machine’ which will be placed behind the battery component. A secondary electric drive will achieve power transmission from the roller chain to the real wheel and a regenerative braking system could possibly give the scooter a 20 percent increase in range.

The E-Scooter comes with an external electronic system which features an interactive mechanism which displays and collects data relating to temperature and voltage of the battery cells. All these innovations and the scooter could be charged by a simple household socket so there is no requirement for exclusive charging stations. Check out the quick preview video of the BMW E-Scooter below.

All Electric Racer Built By Kids

The kids, hard at work.

Students of Onedia High School in New York are serious when it comes to eco-friendly creations. School seniors Jimm Davis, Sean Butler, Nathan Atkinson, William Atwal and Kyle Armstrong built an all electric car as part of their Engineering Design and Development class. This is a fully functional racer which tops off at 40 mph and is powered by a DC electric motor. The car also has no transmission and boasts a simple direct drive from the motor head to the rear wheel.  These students are an example of the possibilities of green technology and the different options it provides. In honor of the work put in by the students, Onedia High School has decided to continue the project for their upcoming senior classes hoping that they will make improvements to the car.

Almost there.

Ta-da.

Shavit Electric Motorcycle

Shavit Electric Superbike

It’s no secret, we are fans of everything electric and when we find new electric motorcycle concepts, it excites us. Today’s feature offers a cool twist to the previous electric bikes we’ve written about. The Shavit electric superbike, created by Shenkar College engineering student Eyal Melnick as part of his graduation project, offers unique adjustable features we haven’t seen before. This bike is equipped with an adjustable mechanism, which allows the rider to alter their seating position, providing them with a higher element of control and comfort. The Shavit features a 180hp engine, weighs 374 pounds and has a wheel base of 1380mm.

Check out the video below to witness just how these adjustable features work:

Thanks to EcoFriend for the great find!

Awesome Homemade Electric Bikes

Electric vehicles are here for the long haul. Everyday we hear about companies releasing their new concepts though we rarely ever hear about the weekend warrior creating their own electric rides. This post is dedicated to them. We found some sweet electric powered bikes, all home built and without any big funding. Check them out:

Purdue student makes $50 bike run on solar power.

Tom Miceli's Kawasaki Ninja ZX6 electric bike conversion. 24 lithium batteries run this bad boy.

Kingston University's entry in 2009's TTX GP and was driven by Maria Costello.

John Wild and Sean Ewing's electrically modified 1996 Honda CBR F3.

Jeff Patterson's, ShocKing, powered by six 72 volt batteries.

More information available at EcoFriend.

2011 MotoCzysz – The Most Advanced e-Motorbike

When the original MotoCzysz E1PC was released in 2010 for the TT Isle of Man, it was already considered to be the most advanced bike on Earth. Still incorporating a custom-built removable 12.5-kilowatt-hour lithium polymer battery pushing out 200 hp, the new model comes with added structural improvements.

MotoCzysz E1pc

MotoCzysz E1pc

• Lighter and sturdier carbon fiber frame which moves outward from the batteries.
• Weight reduction of 500 lbs.
• Relocation of suspension mechanism to the interior of the bike.
• Placement of shock absorbers beneath the tank for efficient space distribution.
• Expected increase in top speed over the 2010 model which maxed at 140 mph.

This bike will definitely be a fierce competitor in future TT Isle of Man competitions.

MotoCzysz E1pc

It's got an eye on you.

Eco-Power = Zero Emissions With Speed

Let’s face it, electric power is here to stay. Everywhere you look, some giant automaker either has a hybrid or full electric vehicle in the works. That is, if their vehicle isn’t out already. Slowly but surely, everyone is starting to understand the benefits and is getting on the bandwagon. The only problem is that in order to be eco-safe, you give up one thing, power. Fret no more, power junkies. Lucky for us there are bikes coming out, offering a combination of zero emissions and speed. Lots o’ speed.

Here are some of our favorites:

AER Racing Motorcycle

Honda Oree

Abarth NGR

BMW E 100R

Amplio Electric Motorcycle

Honda CR-Z Mugen

Yes, we know it’s not a bike, but look at this thing.

When we heard Mugen teamed up with Honda to develop the CR-Z Mugen, we were uber excited.

CR-Z Mugen Front

Regularly equipped with a 1.5 i-VTEC engine, pushing out 113bhp, the Mugen upgrade gets the performance up to 200bhp and 181 lb ft. Along with more power, there’s also a weight reduction of 50kg, which can partly be credited to the lightweight Mugen alloys. Speed tests have shown that the CR-Z Mugen does 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds, making it one of the quickest on the market today.

CR-Z Mugen Interior

We can’t wait to see it in person!

CR-Z Mugen Back

The Swingtrike Brings Balance to Electric Power

Swingtrike

Who remembers the V8 commercials from the late 80′s when it was all about balance? When we saw the Swingtrike, we couldn’t help but imagine a cross-company marketing campaign with both these products. The Swingtrike is aimed at eco-friendly riders worried about maintaining their balance while on the road. Not only does it have a pretty sleek design, it’s pedal-assisted but it’s also powered by a front wheel, three-speed, hub motor that may be upgraded to an eight-speed model as well.

The Swingtrike comes equipped with an aluminum frame that can be folded in the steering bar and swing

Swingtrike

arms to make it more compact for easy transportation. The bike also boasts a a light weight of 40 pounds. One key element of the functionality is that the Swingtrike claims to handle a 15 percent incline. Impressive.

Pricing is  incredibly surprising (and not in a good way). Currently, the Swingtrike sells for 1,699 euros, which translate to about $2,400 dollars, without shipping. Though it’s electric, which we love, the price range seems a bit too steep for your everyday rider.