Electric Motorcycle On Sale in 2008

Enertia electric motorcycle

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The world’s first rechargeable plug-in motorcycle, called the Enertia, will be available next year, according to a press release last week from its Oregon-based maker.

The Enertia is the first in a new series of electric commuter, commercial, and recreational vehicles from Brammo Motorsports, a privately held company based in Ashland , Ore. It’s the same company that makes the minimalist Ariel Atom sports car, which has found a niche following among the enthusiast crowd; but the Enertia looks to be a no-brainer for the environmentalist set, especially those who can’t quite stomach the $100,000 price tag for Tesla Motors’ Roadster.

To that end, the Enertia has more than eight times the wheel-to-well efficiency of a CAFE-average car and more than four times that of a typical motorcycle, according to Brammo.

The Enertia’s range is about 45 miles, the company says, which is significantly longer than the average U.S. round-trip commute of 29 miles, and the six-cell lithium-phosphate battery pack — supplied by Valence Technology — can be fully recharged in only three hours.

The bike weighs only 275 pounds, thanks to a carbon-fiber chassis that only weighs 16 pounds on its own.

With a top speed of “just over 50 mph,” according to the manufacturer, the Enertia is obviously intended for city streets rather than open-road cruising. But it should be able to keep up with traffic just fine; according to the manufacturer, the Brammo can reach 30 mph in 3.8 seconds.

A standout software-interface component, called Momentum, will allow the owner to download information from the bike regarding his or her driving habits and then customize the powertrain response.

The Enertia will go on sale in first-quarter 2008, with prices starting at $11,995.

For more information, visit www.enertiabike.com.

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