A very good friend of mine is intimately connected with the future of motorcycling, and has today unveiled his newest project, a totally electric sportbike. The company is called Mission Motors (formerly known as Hum), and the design was carried out by Fuseproject, industrial design savant Yves Behar's studio here in San Francisco.
I've been speaking with Yves and his business partner, Mitchell Pergola, for over a year about their concept of a zero-emission sports motorcycle with better performance than a gasoline engine. I was certainly intrigued by their vision, and expected something very interesting; Fuseproject makes some of the most advanced industrial designs in the world, their work has been exhibited in many museums - but they have never before worked on a motorcycle.
Other high-profile industrial designers have dipped a toe into the motorcycling world, with varying success; on my best-results list goes Phillipe Starck's Moto 6.5 collaboration with Aprilia, and my worst-case has to be Guigiaro's ruination of the lovely Ducati bevel-drive twin - the 860GT of 1975. Behar's affinity for organic and unusual shapes seems to fit well with contemporary motorcycle styling, and the result is as forward-looking as it needs to be to sell a new concept and technology.
And, on the technical side, I knew that the project included members of the Tesla Motors design team, who helped develop the engine and, most essentially, the battery technology to be used on the Mission bike. The motor develops 100ft-lbs of torque @ 6500rpm, and is a liquid-cooled 3-phase electric motor. And of course, unlike a mechanical engine, 100% of this torque is available from standstill to top speed, which is targeted at 150mph.
The onboard computer has a data acquisition capacity, meaning you can plug your laptop to your motorcycle and retrieve all your riding data, and 'tune' your bike with your computer. The engine management system is ultra modern, and indeed shapes the power curve and throttle response to varying conditions of load and traction and road speed. It's not simply an electric motor, it's a managed power delivery system.
The chassis is perhaps the most standard aspect of the bike; top-shelf components like Ohlins inverted forks with TiN coating on the fork tubes, Ohlins rear shocks, Marchesini wheels, Brembo 4-piston monobloc calipers, etc. The brakes have a regenerative charging system - when applied, they send electricity back to the batteries. Recharging takes 2 hours from a 220v outlet, and costs under $2. The goals of the project aren't just performance-oriented, although to be competitive in the real world, the bike must go as well as any available sportbike.
The first major test of the Mission will be June 2009 in the Isle of Man, at the TTXGP races for zero-emissions motorcycles. An American racer with much experience on the Island will pilot the machine, whose identity will be revealed in the coming weeks. And I can't imagine a more appropriate testing ground than the oldest race course in the world, to compare and develop a totally new branch of motorcycling. The Tourist Trophy was established in 1907 for exactly this reason, 'competition improves the breed'; finally, the concept is coming full circle.... and now you begin to see why The Vintagent is interested!
The Mission One is intended to be as 'green' as possible, with regards to the materials used in its construction, and how they are dealt with after use. Lithium-Ion batteries are the most 'friendly' available, and can be chipped and recycled, or the materials can be recaptured and reconfigured into new batteries. The bodywork materials are still being investigated - there is a new type of organic panelling under test, which uses feathers from the poultry industry rather than carbon-fibers, embedded in soy-based resin. The quills are hollow, making the material extremely light. It's intended that as many other components as possible are fully recyclable - no horrid blown foams for the seat or pvc bits; according to Forrest North, one of the development engineers on the project, they're hoping the only non-green materials on the bike are the brakes and tires; quite a lofty goal. Even the coolant for the electric motor will be low-impact, and they are currently researching organic/biodegradable oils which can do the job. Castrol R, anyone?.
I spoke with Yves just two weeks ago, and as the motorcycle was to be unveiled at last week's T.E.D. conference, it seemed a good time to break the news here as well - good timing, as their website has just gone live online. Take a look, and leave a comment. And remember,
YOU READ IT HERE FIRST!