The TT Zero is one of three electric motorcycle racing series which sprang up following the 2009 TTXGP race held on the Isle of Man during the 2009 TT Week. The Isle of Man Department of Economic Development has confirmed on Nov 28, 2010, that in 2011 the TT Zero will be held during TT Week, as they did in 2010.
The Department has created a new "University Prize" of £5,000 which will be awarded to the fastest University or College team in the 2011 race. At least three University teams have participated in either the 2009 TTXGP or 2010 TT Zero, and there are indications of other University teams in development. The prize for the first team to beat a 100 miles/hr lap time is still up for grabs. In the 2010 TT Zero, MotoCzysz was the team who got closest to that goal with a 96.82 miles/hr lap time.
They expect some new countries and teams to attend 2011 TT Zero. The race is set for Wednesday, June 8, 2010.
Last year it was the Department of Tourism and Leisure who announced the TT Zero, this year it was the Department of Economic Development. As a result their press release how the race is used by the Department to showcase the Isle of Man's Clean Tech industry. It turns out that the Isle of Man does have a clean tech industry. A web search turns up several PDF files on www.gov.im talking about their clean tech business incubator, one of which is linked below. They claim the Isle of Man has existing high-technology human resources (people, a.k.a. potential employees), one of the best wind resources in the British Isles, a strong tidal range, a strong supply chain from their existing aerospace manufacturing, and 50 years of precision aerospace manufacturing. The same document has a sidebar pointing to the 2009 TTXGP as a case in point demonstrating the Isle of Man as a clean tech leader (never mind that the TTXGP was not originally conceived by the Isle of Man).
The TT Week is a yearly venerable motorcycle race with over 100 years of history. The race is held on a the roads of the Isle of Man, making a 38 mile loop around the island, including a climb to 1400 feet on Snaefell Mountain. For gas bikes in the Senior TT the lap time record is over 130 miles/hr, so at a 96.82 miles/hr lap time the electric motorcycles have some research and development ahead of them to catch up.
The electric motorcycle race was first run in 2009 by the TTXGP organization under that name. Last winter during the kerfluffle between TTXGP and FIM, the Isle of Man announced they would form the TT Zero, running the electric motorcycle race themselves.
It's been hoped by many in the electric motorcycle race scene, that the powers-that-be would find a way to heal the fractures and again have one electric motorcycle race series. Many believe that, as it stands, this young sport is being hurt by the fractured scene. The decision by the Isle of Man to continue running the TT Zero in 2011 does not bode well for a reunification of this young sport.
Related Articles:
Mark Miller of Motoczysz wins 2010 TTZERO, Rob Barber of Agni Motors in 2nd
With the TTXGP underway, what's happening with the e-Power and TTZERO races?
Isle of Man controversy launched by the decision to drop TTXGP and start TT Zero
TTXGP booted from Isle of Man TT races, electric motorcycle racing split worsens?
eGrandPrix/TTXGP attendees and results of at the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days
See:
Comments