KTM Electric motorcycle on sale in 2010

[Jerry]

Just picked up this link from Wired:

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/02/ktm-promises-a.html

KTM Promises a Race-Ready Electric Motorcycle In 2010

Not a long read, but has some interest.

[CatatonicBug]

I'm all about going green and all, but I dunno about an electric bike... They'd have to add a speaker system with some really nice woofers to get the right sound outta the empty exhaust pipes!

[fredintoon]

I'm all about going green and all, but I dunno about an electric bike...

>
Hi 'Bug,
OK then, they crammed that sucker full of lithium-ion batteries and it's good for a 40 minute race. They need to get way denser batteries and far quicker recharge rates before an electric road bike is viable. Let's say they build a 200 miles range bike battery, that's only 4 times the current density levels and is presumably doable in the near future. But how long to recharge that battery when it's plugged into a 110V outlet? All effin' night because a domestic outlet can only deliver 1.5 KiloWatts before the breaker pops. The energy transfer rate when pumping gas into your tank is 3 MegaWatts. That's 2,000 times as fast.
Oh, electric bikes may be coming but they ain't here yet.

[Jerry]

Well down here in the lower 48 we can use 20 amp circuit breakers at 120V = 2.4 KW? Can also go with a twist-lock 30 amp circuit at 120 volts = 3.6 KW. I use them on my server's uninteruptible power supplies (UPSs)

If they get a model that can go 150 miles at 75 mph - cover my daily 114 mile round trip plus some reserve - I would consider one.

[fredintoon]

Well down here in the lower 48 we can use 20 amp circuit breakers at 120V = 2.4 KW? Can also go with a twist-lock 30 amp circuit at 120 volts = 3.6 KW. I use them on my server's uninteruptible power supplies (UPSs)
If they get a model that can go 150 miles at 75 mph - cover my daily 114 mile round trip plus some reserve - I would consider one.

>
Hi Jerry,
and if you ran a cord from your stove plug you could charge faster still.
Approaching 1% of the gas pump energy transfer rate.
Today's best electric cars could perhaps get you to work so you could recharge for free on the boss's electricity to go home but they won't do 75mph.
A practical electric car is on the horizon but it ain't here yet.
A practical electric bike is further away yet.

[egleaves]

Two words:

MR. FUSION

[DGXSER]

Hey Fred,

See the TESLA electric car. IT meets or exceeds the speed and distance you are describing. Now economical is another question.

[Pat Kelly]

And how "green" is the process manufacturing the batteries? How "green" is it to produce the electricity to charge/recharge the batteries? How "green" is it to dispose of the used batteries? How "green" is a battery(s) that are split open in a crash?
Give me gas.

[DGXSER]

Give me gas.

Try your favorite mexican place, works great for me!!

I to favor the fuel cell for these reasons. Although there is electric involved in converting the water to hydrogen and compressing it into the car in the first place.

[Jerry]

Give me gas.

Problem is we are running out. Alternate sources are a matter of when, not if. No doubt there is an impact of manufacturing batteries, just as there is in manufacturing gasoline engines. You would have to couple battery manufacturing with battery recycling to make it work.

Another surce of electric cars - potentially - is another startup called Phoebnix Motor Car Company. Link is:
www.phoenixmotorcars.com
We are on the waiting list for the Sport Utiltiy Truck (SUT). To bad they are not working on a bike.

[madmax-im]

I have heard educated scientists state that even if we had an alternative to the internal combustion engine available for the mass market today...it would still take 30 years to get rid of all those engines around the globe. I too think some sort of electrically generated vehicles are the way to go.

[latexeses]

Anyone remember 1974?
We were going to be out of gas in 10 years then...
We won't be out.. they just won't let us get to it.

[DGXSER]

I am not to conerned with running out of oil or fuel. We have enough alternatives readily availabel to work around that. Ethanol, Biodiesel, Good ole Moonshine if need be.

I do think that for biological reasons we should invest and create more energy efficient vehicles and more environmentally friendly mass transportation.

By the same token, I still love my 502 ramjet, and XS1100. Nothing like cubic inches (or CC's) and lots of petrol to make things go!! The more we use electric for day to day transport the cheaper gas will be for my toys!! ( I know, until it is so rare of a use that it gets more expensive.)

[latexeses]

I agree that there are alternatives.
Turning our food supply into fuel is not one of them.
Unless mankind developes a taste for dirt or sand we had best start looking for a source of fuel that uses something besides our food and water supply.

[madmax-im]

I agree that there are alternatives.
Turning our food supply into fuel is not one of them.
Unless mankind developes a taste for dirt or sand we had best start looking for a source of fuel that uses something besides our food and water supply.

I'm not sure what plant it is ...but in Brazil they grow their methanol and harvest the plants...and it isnt part of the food chain...it isnt corn...Brazil is energy independant and that is the goal we here in the US should strive to obtain. In my mind it has little to do with fuel suppliy rather from whom we get the fuel.