xcel
01-31-2009, 05:41 AM
As with cars, electricity is playing an increasingly large part in two-wheeled transport. (telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorbikes/4398827/Electric-motorcycles-current-production.html)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Piaggio_MP3_Hybrid_Bike.jpgKevin Ash – UK Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk) – Jan. 31, 2009
Europe’s Piaggio -- MP3 Hybrid Motorcycle is due to go on sale this summer.
Oh how fun this could be :) -- Ed.
The incentive for motorcycle and scooter manufacturers to produce electric and hybrid two-wheelers is less obvious than with cars. Already they're making many small capacity machines with an everyday economy of more than 100 mpg. The emissions regulations are easier too, with no imminent requirements to sell a certain percentage of low-emission vehicles across a product range, and less strict exhaust emission rules for individual machines than is the case with cars, although these are converging.
Perhaps the biggest problem is the packaging, particularly with regard to battery storage.
Then there's cost: $14,250 of batteries in a $85,500 car might sting a bit, but with $2,130 scooters there's little financial scope for pioneering, and therefore expensive, technology.
Even so, progress is being made and we've highlighted the state of play of alternative fuels for bikes and scooters with four examples: one on sale now, two about to go on sale and one still at the prototype stage… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorbikes/4398827/Electric-motorcycles-current-production.html
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Piaggio_MP3_Hybrid_Bike.jpgKevin Ash – UK Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk) – Jan. 31, 2009
Europe’s Piaggio -- MP3 Hybrid Motorcycle is due to go on sale this summer.
Oh how fun this could be :) -- Ed.
The incentive for motorcycle and scooter manufacturers to produce electric and hybrid two-wheelers is less obvious than with cars. Already they're making many small capacity machines with an everyday economy of more than 100 mpg. The emissions regulations are easier too, with no imminent requirements to sell a certain percentage of low-emission vehicles across a product range, and less strict exhaust emission rules for individual machines than is the case with cars, although these are converging.
Perhaps the biggest problem is the packaging, particularly with regard to battery storage.
Then there's cost: $14,250 of batteries in a $85,500 car might sting a bit, but with $2,130 scooters there's little financial scope for pioneering, and therefore expensive, technology.
Even so, progress is being made and we've highlighted the state of play of alternative fuels for bikes and scooters with four examples: one on sale now, two about to go on sale and one still at the prototype stage… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorbikes/4398827/Electric-motorcycles-current-production.html