Late last week battery maker Ener1 signed a supply and distribution agreement with startup motorcycle manufacturer, Lightning Motorcycles. Green Transportation Examiner readers will be more familiar with them from electric motorcycle racing where the Lightning Motorcycles team won the 2010 TTXGP North America championship (see Lightning strikes at VIR to win the TTXGP North America 2010 electric motorcycle racing championship), and set a land speed record for electric motorcycles (see Lightning Motors strikes with new electric motorcycle land speed record at BUB Speed Trials).
"We've tested many different battery solutions over the last year, including Ener1 and several of its competitors," stated Richard Hatfield, founder of Lightning Motorcycles. "The Lightning data and test results showed us that Ener1's lithium-ion batteries far out-perform those from competing companies, which is why we've switched to using their cells in our electric motorcycles. Lightning Motorcycles is committed to using what we believe to be the most powerful, safest, best-of-breed batteries on the market, which is why we're also extremely pleased to be representing Ener1 as an official distributor."
Last years wins were with a pack of A123 cells, and this year they are racing with an Ener1 pack. This years bike is much faster than last years. One should note the battery is not the only difference, and that this years bike is a completely new design.
The Lightning Motorcycles team is not just a racing team, however. They currently are a components distributor operating under the name Alliance Renewable Energy, and under the agreement would add Ener1 batteries to the products they distribute. They also plan to, in the future, sell several electric motorcycles and scooters. The Lightning SuperBike with which they've been winning races the last couple years is the prototype and test bed for their future commercial bikes. Under the agreement Ener1 will supply batteries for the commercial bikes.
See:
Ener1 Announces Supply and Distribution Agreement with Lightning Motorcycles
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