World’s Fastest Production Electric Motorcycle
Mission Motors 'Mission One'
150 MPH Electric Thruster - EVerything Changes NOW!
First Showing - TED2009
by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider"
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Just unveiled at the TED2009 conference, the Mission One from Mission Motors, a hi-tech California startup company, building what is about to be the world’s fastest production electric motorcycle. How fast? 150 mph. Range? 150 miles. Torque? 100 foot pounds, instantly available whether you’re standing still or cruising at 60 mph, no gears, just roll it on … I think the game just changed.
Mission Motors, working under the radar as Hum Cycles, has been quietly developing their motorcycle for 2 years. Last year, a Ducati converted to electric power began showing up on the back roads of California. This was their prototype, undergoing extensive testing and a few lucky riders got a chance to sample the performance of the bike coming back amazed by what they had just experienced.
Forrest North, co-founder of Mission Motors, began dreaming of building an electric motorcycle when leading the Solar Car Team at Stanford University. The dream continued, even as he joined Tesla Motors to help engineer the company’s cutting-edge battery pack. In 2007, Forrest launched Mission Motors with the help of Edward West and Mason Cabot. Their mission: Build an electric motorcycle that could finally compete with gasoline.
They’ve assembled a top notch team: Dan Kaplan - CFO at Ducati North America from 2003 - 2006, Jeremy Cleland - AFM Racer & Product Mgr at Ducati NA, graduates from Cal Tech, Stanford, Virginia, Dartmouth, and MIT plus Engineers from Ford, Tesla, Google, IDEO, Intel, and Agilent.
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Specifications:
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Powertrain |
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Battery Pack: |
High Energy Lithium-Ion w/ Integrated Thermal Management System |
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Motor: |
Liquid-cooled, 3-phase AC Induction |
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Torque: |
100 lb-ft @ 0 to 6,500 rpm |
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Transmission: |
Single speed |
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Chassis |
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Suspension/Front: |
Ohlins 43mm inverted fork; fully adjustable, 4.5-in travel |
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Suspension/Rear: |
Ohlins Single shock w/piggyback reservoir; fully adjustable, 4.5-in travel |
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Brakes/Front: |
Dual Brembo 310mm disc; Brembo radial-mount forged 4-piston calipers |
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Brakes/Rear: |
Brembo 220mm disc; single-piston caliper |
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Wheels/Tires/Front: |
Marchesini forged aluminum 3.5″ x 17″, 120/70ZR17 - race Compound |
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Wheels/Tires/Rear: |
Marchesini forged aluminum 6.0″x17″, 190/55ZR17 - race Compound |
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Target Performance |
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Top Speed: |
150mph |
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Range: |
150 miles per charge (est. EPA drive cycle) |
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Recharge Time: |
Under 2 Hours @ 240V (8 Hours @ 120V) |
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Interactive Feature: |
Adjustable regenerative rear wheel braking |
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Interactive Feature: |
Intuitive / adjustable data acquisition system |
Racing:
Mission Motorsports, their green racing team, figures a little track time is a good thing, too. They will test the Mission One when they take on the world in the TTXGP on June 12, the first zero-emissions motorcycle race on the Isle of Mann.
First deliveries and Pricing:
The first Mission One motorcycles will be delivered early in 2010, First year production will be 300 units. The first 50 units will be offered as the Premier Limited Edition version at a price of $68,995. Yes, a bit pricey for the average rider but I will be surprised if these don’t sell out.
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LONG BEACH, CA - February 4, 2009 –Today, Mission Motors unveiled a revolutionary vehicle, the Mission One, the world’s fastest production all-electric motorcycle, at TED2009. Mission Motors CEO, Forrest North, along with lead designer Yves Béhar, founder of fuseproject, will present the vehicle in development onstage to the TED audience on February 4. Mission Motors will exhibit the vehicle throughout the conference at the Kohler LivingHome at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, and will be on hand to discuss the company’s vision for a radically new brand of motorcycles.
“The Great Unveiling,” the TED2009 theme, makes a fitting platform for the launch of Mission Motors’ first vehicle, the Mission One. It is the first production electric sportbike that features uncompromised performance and an iconic new design created by world-renowned designers Yves Béhar and fuseproject. With a top speed of 150 MPH and an estimated range of 150 miles, the Mission One rivals gasoline sportbikes while dwarfing the performance of any other electric motorcycle on the market. The electric drivetrain creates a riding experience unlike anything currently available on a production vehicle. The electric motor’s linear torque curve provides peak torque at zero rpm, a feature gasoline engines cannot match. The motor delivers faster acceleration than most gasoline sportbikes without ever having to shift gears.
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