History of electric motorcycles and scooters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Late 1860s: Earliest references to electric motorcycles can be found in patents. 1911: Electric motorcycle available according to early Popular Mechanics article. 1920s: Ransomes, current makers of forklifts, explored the use of an electric powered motorcycle. This and other developments helped pave the way for the company to use electric mining cars and lorreys. Early 1940s: Fuel rationing in United States caused Earle Williams to convert a motorcycle to electric power. This became the basis for the formation of the ParCar from the Marketeer Company. 1941: Fuel rationing in Occupied Europe encouraged an Austrian company by the name of Socovel to create a small electric motorcycle. Approximately 400 were manufactured. 1967: First Fuel Cell powered electric motorcycle created by Karl Kordesch at Union Carbide debuts. Demonstrated the feasibility of fuel cells as a power source. This particular fuel cell was an alkili fuel cell that operated with hydrazine, a rocket fuel propellant. 1967: "Papoose" moped sized electric motorcycle prototype is created by Indian Motorcycle Company under the direction of Floyd Clymer Early 1970s: Aurenthetic Charger moped sized mini bike (small motorcycle) sold. 1973: Mike Corbin sets first electric motorcycle land speed record of 101 mph. 1974: Corbin-Gentry Inc. begins sale of street legal electric motorcycles. Professor Charles E. MacArthur makes first electric vehicle ascent on Mt. Washington, NH using a Corbin Electric motorcycle. The event evolved into an annual rally called the "Mt Washington Alternative Vehicle Regatta". 1978: Electric Harley Davidson MK2 created by Transitron manufactured in Honolulu, Hawaii. 1988: Eyeball Engineering creates KawaSHOCKi electric dragbike and is featured in a major magazine. 1996: Peugeot Scoot'Elec released, first mass production of an electric motorbike. Late 1990s: EMB Lectra VR24 electric motorbike created by Scott Cronk and EMB. Pioneered the use of variable reluctance motors (hence the VR) and marketed as street legal. 2000: Killacycle makes record run of 152 mph (245 km/h) at 9.4 s quarter mile (400metre) time at Woodburn Drags 2000. 2007: A123 Li-Ion cell-powered Killacycle makes new quarter mile (400-metre) record of 7.824 seconds and 168 mph (270 km/h) in Phoenix, AZ at AHDRA 2007. 2008: Electra Green made by Orlando Tony Parker in Omaha,Nebraska. The first electric motorcycle made in the state of Nebraska. 2009: History is made in San Jose, California, when Zero Motorcycles hosts "The 24 Hours of Electricross", an all electric dirtbike race. The first TTXGP (Time Trial Xtreme Grand Prix) all electric street motorcycle race takes place on the Isle of Man.

The development of lithium-ion batteries and powerful electric motors (originally for military applications) made mainstream electric motorcycles more feasible in the 2000s.[13]

According to patents filed, some early examples of electric motorcycles can be found as late as the 1860s.
The Ajax Motor Vehicle company in New York City started building "electric runabouts" in the very early 1900's, roughly the same time that the electric scooter entered popular culture with a reference in an early Popular Mechanics article. Ransomes started making an electric cycle in the early 1920s, followed by a French company "Applications Electro-Mecaniques" developed the Electrocyclette in 1927. Essentially a trike, it had 2 wheels in the front and one in the back. The fuel shortages in World War II prompted creative alternatives to locomotion. Inventor Earle Williams attempted to convert a gas powered cycle to electric, thus creating the ParCar, developed by Marketeer Co. At the same time, a European business called Socovel manufactured 400 electric mopeds in Austria. A number of advancements came out of the 60s and 70s, namely alkali fuel cell development from Union Carbide, land speed records, and mass produced street legal electric scooters. The French company Peugeot created the first truly mass marketed electric scooter in 1996, called the Scoot'Elec, a moped. With body parts used in it's gas powered cousin the Zenith, It featured an 18V ni-cad battery tucked behind the operators feet under the seat, an onboard charger, and a charging cable with plug. It took only 5 hours to completely recharge the battery. Most recently, a lithium ion fuel cell powered motorcycle called the Killacycle set the record for the world's fastest electric bike by traveling a quarter mile in 7.824 seconds at a top speed of 168 mph, breaking it's previous record setting run of 9.4 seconds at 152 mph.

1. 1927 Jan 26, 1927 - Last which was eastern Townships Night at the show had been widely advertised us such and there were many visitors from points outside tho city Tho attractive fashion In which the accessories are shown and tho conviction they carry of. this year si rubber Inner tube that ridesas easy ...

3. 1970 1970 - When it was first built in 1970, the track was an ultra-modern replica of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with a little more banking in the turns and the nicest facilities in motorsports. Competitors were awestruck upon getting their first glimpse of

5. 1997 Oct 1997 - The Honda J-VX was the first hybrid sports car concept to employ Honda's Integrated Motor Assist electric hybrid system and was initially unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, 1997. It achieved 70mpg (30km/l) and featured a 1.0 liter, 3 cylinder ...

7. 2000 May 10, 2000 - American Honda Motor Co Inc recently unveiled its allnew Insight the first gasolineelectric hybrid vehicle available in North America The Insight's breakthrough environmental engineering conserves natural resources and produces ultralow emissions It is the first massproduced ...

9. 2003 May 8, 2003 - According to Flintstone the Ultra Motor has surpassed all performance efficiency and power output expectations Its potential applications include electric bicycles or pedelecs scooters electric cars wheelchairs and stairlifts Flintstone claims this could represent a potential market of ...

11. 2005 Jun 2005 - Future products include electric three/four wheelers and hybrid electric buses. SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE INDIA PVT. LTD. Suzuki Motor India sold 1 601 motorcycles in 2005-06. ULTRA MOTOR INDIA Ultra Motor manufactures electric scooters in ...

13. 2006 Oct 2006 - Hero Cycles Limited had earlier in October 2006, signed a technical collaboration-cum-joint marketing agreement with Ultra Motor Company, to produce and jointly market the range of Hero Electric-Ultra

Powered electric two wheelers in India. "Both Hero ... 15. 2007 Sep 12, 2007 - 12 Sep 2007, 2053 hrs IST, PTI. NEW DELHI: UK-based Ultra Motor on Wednesday said that the company has signed an exclusive agreement with Reliance Retail for distribution of its light electric vehicle (LEV) through the latter's outlets in the country. ...

17. 2008 Sep 2008 - The Ultra Motor A2B electric bicycle is one of the most uniquely designed e- bikes we've seen. When we first reviewed it here back in September 2008, he was impressed. Later, we did a full writeup on LEVAdvisor, our sister blog, as well. Now, Ultra Motor has ...

19. 2009 Sep 18, 2009 - Not only does the A2B Excel use Ultra Motor's proprietary 800W direct drive motor but is combined with Intelligent Dual Energy Power IDEP Technology. IMPORTANT NOTICE: To read this Bike Europe news story, click the READ COMPLETE ARTICLE link above. This will launch a separate window ...