Friday 16 July 2010

New electric motorbike - Brammo Empulse

     So electric motorcycle manufacturer Brammo have just released a new series of bikes, the "Empulse".  (It's up for pre-order now, but deliveries don't start until 2011.)  This is the first commercial electric motorbike I've seen that actually looks cool.  Even better it's priced equally with their main competition - Zero Motorcycles while completely creaming it in the specifications department.
     The two companies are looking to make very different products with the Zero bikes* aiming more at a weekend crossover dirt bike market and Brammo seeming very focussed on the road, but the comparison has to be made:

Brammo Empulse:
  • Range ~ 100km (For the "cheap" $10k US one.)
  • Top Speed - 160km/h
  • Power - 41kW
  • Torque ~ 79Nm
  • Weight ~ 180kg
  • Capacity - 6kWh (Again, for the cheap one - they also do 8 & 10kWh versions for extra range)
  • Charge Time ~4 hours (Based on Aussie 240v)
  • Neat looking without being over styled.  (Ok, just a personal opinion there!)

Zero S:
  • Range ~ 80km.
  • Top Speed - 105km/h
  • Weight - 124kg
  • Capacity - 4kWh
  • Charge Time, Less than 4 hours (Probably much less on 240v)
  • Power & Torque - no information.
  • Bordering on ugly, looks like a cheap Chinese eBay bike.

     Pretty clear which one comes out on top eh?  I actually quite liked the whole package of the Zero bikes when they first launched, but I think it was more for the novelty value of riding something quiet off road mostly.  As a street electric bike though, the Brammo Empulse blows it away.  In fact I'd go as far as saying that the Empulse might wind up being the first electric motorbike which people will consider against standard petrol bikes.
     I hope it handles well, be interesting to see some reviews closer to launch.  I'm also just a little bit too curious as to how much it'll cost to land one in Australia. :)

More info on the Empulse at the Hell For Leather site, from people that have actually spoken with Brammo.

*Hmm, I never realised what an unfortunate name that was for their company before.

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