paul
12-23-2008, 10:16 AM
The Kilia Cycle became the world's quickest electric vehicle of any kind with a quarter mile sprint time of about 7.8sec and a top speed in excess of 27Skm1ft. The o-1ookm/h acceleration came in at an unbelievable I.04sec. These are mind numbing figures for any variety of automobiles, let alone EVs.
Though traditionally conside~ed impractical slouches owing to their low distance range and sloppy performance, the new breed of EVs are getting increasingly powerful and beginning to make sense for the enthusiast
rider. The sticker price for an EV two-wheeler with a decent performance, though, is still quite steep. Moreover, the distance range on offer isn't enough to be termed practical. Then there is the replacement cost for the battery, which again, is way too high. With time, the number of recharge cycles and battery life is increasing but a replacement remains expensive nonetheless. But EVs are eventually getting there as illustrated by the increasing populariry of such vehicles among the Indian commuters. A market, that hardly had any players a few years ago, is now populated by more than five makers and each one is doing well.
But the EVs available in India are still a far cry from the exciting motorcycles that biking enthusiasts swear by. The situation, however, isn't as grim if you have a look at some of the international models. The Killacycle is an extreme case. The purpose built drag racer isn't a road going bike and is prohibitively expensive attributed only towards its battery pack. It, however, convincingly proves that electric vehicles can outperform their gas powered counterparts. The technology to derive performance out of an electric vehicle is already there; what needs to be achieved now is rationalization.
One of the most rational electric vehicles out there in the international market currently is the Vectrix VX-I. Even though its Ni-MH battery isn't the most advanced technology available today (it will probably soon be replaced by a Li-ion pack), the scooter is one the most practical and exciting electric commuters of all. it's not cheap, yet not entirely un affordable either. The main concern. The company claims it lasts tor about 1500 cycles, but then companies claim a lot of things, and it's going to hurt whenever that battery requires a replacement. A 0-80km/h sprint time of 6.8sec, a top speed of IIokm/h and a range of more than rookm/h may not be entirely upto an enthusiast's delight, but those figures aren't too disappointing either.
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Many other electric bikes like the Zero X MX bike and Enertia Electric Motorcycle are genuine competitors in this segment and are preparing the ground for a huge electric bike industry to spawn. Not only are these bikes practical and incredibly economical to run, they are also good looking and have the goods to appeal to the aspiration buyer. The way technology is progressing; affordable, performance oriented electric bikes don't look like a distant dream at all.
The inclusion of vehicles with such zero emission technologies
in global motorsports events like SBK and MotoGP can be a great idea. They can be run in a separate class. This will not only give these apartheid bikes the much required visibiliry among the masses but also push the technology envelop further, hastening the process of making them faster and more efficient. While hybrid motorcycles like the Piaggio HyS try and bridge the gap between gas and battery powered two-wheelers, vehicles like the Suzuki X-Cage sit at the topmost extreme of the alternate power technology spectrum.
Unlike electric vehicles, which are really close to becoming a practical solution for commuting needs, the chances of fuel cell powered bikes like the X-Cage for becoming an affordable alternative in the near future are quite bleak.
The two-wheeler industry is poised to witness a quantum shift. The onslaught has begun however small its magnitude may be. We don't have to go too far to witness it. The mushrooming of electrical vehicles in the Indian market is testimony to this fact. The day the men in white aprons find the right balance between price and practicality, commuting on two¬wheels will never be the same again.
Though traditionally conside~ed impractical slouches owing to their low distance range and sloppy performance, the new breed of EVs are getting increasingly powerful and beginning to make sense for the enthusiast
rider. The sticker price for an EV two-wheeler with a decent performance, though, is still quite steep. Moreover, the distance range on offer isn't enough to be termed practical. Then there is the replacement cost for the battery, which again, is way too high. With time, the number of recharge cycles and battery life is increasing but a replacement remains expensive nonetheless. But EVs are eventually getting there as illustrated by the increasing populariry of such vehicles among the Indian commuters. A market, that hardly had any players a few years ago, is now populated by more than five makers and each one is doing well.
But the EVs available in India are still a far cry from the exciting motorcycles that biking enthusiasts swear by. The situation, however, isn't as grim if you have a look at some of the international models. The Killacycle is an extreme case. The purpose built drag racer isn't a road going bike and is prohibitively expensive attributed only towards its battery pack. It, however, convincingly proves that electric vehicles can outperform their gas powered counterparts. The technology to derive performance out of an electric vehicle is already there; what needs to be achieved now is rationalization.
One of the most rational electric vehicles out there in the international market currently is the Vectrix VX-I. Even though its Ni-MH battery isn't the most advanced technology available today (it will probably soon be replaced by a Li-ion pack), the scooter is one the most practical and exciting electric commuters of all. it's not cheap, yet not entirely un affordable either. The main concern. The company claims it lasts tor about 1500 cycles, but then companies claim a lot of things, and it's going to hurt whenever that battery requires a replacement. A 0-80km/h sprint time of 6.8sec, a top speed of IIokm/h and a range of more than rookm/h may not be entirely upto an enthusiast's delight, but those figures aren't too disappointing either.
132
Many other electric bikes like the Zero X MX bike and Enertia Electric Motorcycle are genuine competitors in this segment and are preparing the ground for a huge electric bike industry to spawn. Not only are these bikes practical and incredibly economical to run, they are also good looking and have the goods to appeal to the aspiration buyer. The way technology is progressing; affordable, performance oriented electric bikes don't look like a distant dream at all.
The inclusion of vehicles with such zero emission technologies
in global motorsports events like SBK and MotoGP can be a great idea. They can be run in a separate class. This will not only give these apartheid bikes the much required visibiliry among the masses but also push the technology envelop further, hastening the process of making them faster and more efficient. While hybrid motorcycles like the Piaggio HyS try and bridge the gap between gas and battery powered two-wheelers, vehicles like the Suzuki X-Cage sit at the topmost extreme of the alternate power technology spectrum.
Unlike electric vehicles, which are really close to becoming a practical solution for commuting needs, the chances of fuel cell powered bikes like the X-Cage for becoming an affordable alternative in the near future are quite bleak.
The two-wheeler industry is poised to witness a quantum shift. The onslaught has begun however small its magnitude may be. We don't have to go too far to witness it. The mushrooming of electrical vehicles in the Indian market is testimony to this fact. The day the men in white aprons find the right balance between price and practicality, commuting on two¬wheels will never be the same again.