Electric motorbikes are a new phenomenon, but they are slowly becoming very popular. The costs of these bikes are coming down, and latest battery technologies are going to change the way we look at motorbikes. These two-wheelers are very quiet, and the only thing that stands in their way is their limited range.
Compared to regular bikes that can go for hundreds of miles on a full tank, the electric version is only able to do about half that amount. The good news is that they are very inexpensive and do not require much maintenance either. Even small manufacturers are introducing cost effective versions that will further fuel the demand for such bikes.
The electricity that drives these bikes will be stored onboard rechargeable battery, which drives the bikes. The main manufacturers of these bikes include:
- Zero Motorcycles
- Lightning Motorcycle
- Energica Motor Company
Big bike manufacturers like Yamaha are also planning to introduce their own models sometime in the not too distant future. In June of 2014, Harley-Davidson also introduced its own prototype bikes.
The first such bike was introduced as an electrical bicycle on 19th September 1895. The same year a few weeks later another patent was applied for an electric bicycle.
Then, in 1896 in London Humber, which had earned a reputation for being an excellent bicycle, manufacturer came out and introduced an electrically driven tandem bicycle. Later on, in 1911, an electrically driven motorcycle was introduced into the market that had a range of between 75 and 100 miles. This bike could travel at speeds of between 4 and 35 miles per hour.
In the year 1919, a new prototype was introduced but it never went further than the trial stages.
Today, rechargeable batteries drive a vast majority of these electricity driven motorcycles though there are a few models that make use of nickel-metal batteries. The batteries have to be recharged. Connecting the battery to an electric wall socket can do this. Latest trends point to batteries that can be swapped.
Modern electrically powered motorcycles can achieve the same amount of speed as a regular bike. However, electrically operated motorcycles are designed to accelerate faster than regular bikes. Most electrically driven bikes can achieve a range of about 130 plus miles. This makes them excellent for daily commuting.
Electric motorbikes do not require any maintenance. They can go for about six months without your having to do any maintenance. The cost of running these bikes is anything from 1 to 2 cents per mile.