Eco Factor: Zero-emission motorcycle powered by electric motor.
John Wild, a vintage motorcycle racer and a fabricator, along with Sean Ewing, an electrical engineer, entrepreneur and a student at Ohio State University, have come together to transform a 1996 Honda CBR F3 to run on an electric engine. The bike will be used by the team, dubbed Square Wave Racing, in the TTXGP.
The DIYers created the electric beast in just a few weeks, during when they swapped the conventional engine with a three-phase AC motor and an 8KWh lithium-iron phosphate battery. The team is confident that their machine has everything that will be needed to complete the 25 mile race.
The converted motorcycle features a top speed of around 100mph, which is much more than what the winner of last year’s TTXGP averaged. Moreover last year’s winner had a battery of 3.5KWh, which is quite less than what this DIY team has.
The team is keeping mum on the bike’s actual performance and specs, but they do state that riding the bike isn’t that different and the weight of the bike hasn’t increased by much with the new engine. Without any regenerative braking system installed, the bike is still expected to have an operating range of about 80 miles.
Via: Autopia
