http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/ I think there just brilliant although I don't like the new street bike. Only for the reason is that you'd get crushed by a car for sure if you rode something that quiet. But the offroad one what more can you ask for 0-30 in under 2 seconds?
I love the idea but $10K is what I paid for my 180HP ZX10R and it gets at least 40 mpg with me twisting the throttle like a mad man. I think a diesel powered motorcycle could easily get 100 mpg with a top speed 100 mph+ and a range of 400 miles. Until a MAJOR development in battery technology occurs we're pretty limited with a fully electric vehicle. The battery pack for this $10K zero motorcycle is 36% of its weight with a whopping 60 mile range and that's assuming you baby the throttle, testing the 0-30 second acceleration would probably wipe out the battery in 15 miles or less.
I like the idea, and my hat is off for those who are taking the risk of developing these new technologies. They are the way of the future. Any vehicle that can get me around town while putting out a very minimal amount of pollution and using very little energy is on my wish list.
from a paper written in the physics dept at the Ohio State University: "The amount of pollution created by electric vehicles depends mostly on the source of the electricity used to charge them. This makes it impossible to determine if electric vehicles pollute less than internal combustion engine vehicles without considering where they are to be deployed and by what sources of electricity they are to be powered. An electric vehicle that is charged with energy from a clean source, like hydroelectric power, will produce very little pollution, while one charged with energy from an unclean source, like coal or oil, may produce <u>more</u> pollution than an internal combustion engine vehicle."
I would buy one and then strap some playing cards to the forks to hit the spokes on the tire to make a noise like a 2 stroke
Where is that link, KTM has promised a race ready electric dirtbike by next year. http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/02/ktm-promises-a.html