New 50mph E-bike
the ErockIT – 50 mph pedal electric hybrid motorcycle
June 25, 2008 The idea of an electric-assist bicyclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle has been around for some time, with Aprilia’s Enjoy the first really convincing argument that the genre had a future – now there’s another variation on the electric pedal-assist theme, but the ErockIT is much more a motorcycle than a bike, and indeed, it might be one of the quickest forms of inner city transport on the planet. The whole thing weighs just 110 kilograms and with over 45lb/ft of torque and 13bhp, it can top 50mph.
The torque characteristics of an electric motorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motor are very different to a roadgoing motorcycle powerplant – the aforementioned 45lb/ft of torque is available from standstill, and the linear nature of the power delivery makes it very easy to control. As a rule of thumb, on circuit racing, we have observed that an electric bike with Xbhp will run about even with an internal combustion engined motorcycle with 3X bhp – this would put it in commuter 250 roadbike territory for acceleration, and the 50 mph top speed is suitable for just about anywhere other than an autobahnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn or freeway.
Around town, it will be a rocketship and light and manoeuvrable enough to make breeze of weaving through stopped traffic – a better town motorcycle than currently exists.
Unlike the Apriliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aprilia Enjoy, where the electric motor assisted the rider to pedal when more torque was required, the ErockIT drives the rear wheel from an electric motor , and pedalling assists the motor. This very exciting development in the inevitable move to electric two-wheelers will cost around EUR 25,000 (US$39,000) and will be available in limited quantities in 2009.
Stay tuned as we have much more detail coming in the next few days.