World's first all-electric Superbike

November 28, 2008

It produces about the same amount of horsepower as BMW's F-series 800cc parallel twins and is good for about 200km/h -- it's the world's first electric Superbike.

Unveiled in prototype form at the 2008 NEC Motorcycle Show in Birmingham, England, the TTX01 is a creation of the Faculty of Engineering at the London-based Kingston University, and will compete in next year's TTXGP at the Isle of Man - the world's first clean emission grand prix.

The TTX01 runs on two lithium battery-powered electric motors, each weighing 11kg and producing a claimed 43hp, and there's 125Nm of torque between the two. The motors are manufactured by Agni Motors in England.

The bike can go from 0-100kmh in 3.5 seconds, according to the manufacturer.

The two motors are currently residing inside a Suzuki GSX750 frame, but the final production version will have its own compact carbon fibre frame and other technology like regenerative braking and swappable battery packs.

And compact isn't an exaggeration, as the frame on the TTX01 won't have to house all the normal internal combustion engine ancillaries, such as fuel pumps, oil pumps and radiators. That's another reason why the TTX01 is so quiet - other than the obvious fact it's running on batteries.

The TTXGP will be held on June 12, and up to 50 teams are expected to compete to show the world that "being green does not mean being slow".

Further afield, the plan is for the TTX01 - if it still remains under that moniker - to go on sale in limited numbers late next year at 20,000 pounds ($A47,000). It's already street-legal in the UK.

In Australia, the only full electric two-wheeler on the market is the Vectrix scooter (here). However, as a commuter, it has a much smaller motor than the TTX01, and without the added pressure to perform in a cut-throat sportsbike environment.