Electric Motorcycles in Prime Position

Bryce Cullen
Staff Writer

            A young team of Dutch college students has built a revolutionary electric motorcycle. Their cycle can get an astonishing 230 miles of range with one full battery. Then when everything has been drained from the battery, they simply swap it in with a fully charged one rather than just waiting for the original to recharge. With the help of Tesla, electric automobiles have always had some attention. Through these student’s work, electric motorcycles have begun to find their place in the market.
            Through advancing technology, batteries are continuing to improve. This means so can the electric motorcycle industry. Obviously, they are not very popular at the time, but they could be looking at a rise in interest. The Dutch students have yet to decide whether or not they are going to commercialize their electric motorcycle. Navigant predicts that only a mere 2,000 electric motorcycles will be purchased in 2016. However, Citron (they are an industry that researches the development of new industry products) predicts 2020 will be the year great change for the powered motorcycles and cars. Even Harley-Davidson has announced the prototype of an electric motorcycle. Citron believes this will play a very important role in creating interest in this new product. Some speculations as to when this will be revealed have said to be totally false. Speculators are saying that it will be available for purchase in 2017 or 2020, but a Harley-Davidson spokeswoman has shut these down saying they are false. 

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         Now although this is a great idea it does have its downside, one especially being the noise produced from the bike. With the replacement of a battery, rather than a gas engine a lot of appeal is lost with the lack of boisterous roar and rumble that a gas engine can produce. The sound of the electric bike is said to be described as a jet engine mixed with an animal screech. Harley-Davidson has not come out with a statement saying they will be adding a motor sound to increase customer appeal. This may still be considered as mystery to when the world gets it first high powered, loud, and fast electric motorcycle.