More info on the electric superbike coming soon from Mavizen

October 28, 2:02 PMGreen Transportation ExaminerDavid Herron

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Blurry teaser photo courtesy Mavizen

A minister from the Isle of Man government, the Honorable John Shimmin, will be on hand in Las Vegas on November 3 to help launch Mavizen's TTX02 electric superbike.  This electric motorcycle is meant to be a bootstrap vehicle for teams wishing to compete in the TTXGP racing series.  The specs have not been released but obviously it is meant to perform better than the TTXGP winning entry from Mavizen's collaborator, Team Agni.  The TTXGP race is part of the TT race series held on the Isle of Man, and bikes competing in this race have to complete either one or two 38 mile laps over mountainous rugged terrain. (see TTXGP UK Championship 2010 agreement, and other TTXGP news)

Until recently the all electric superbike class of motorcycles seemed to be occupied solely by Mission Motors.  However over the last two months we have seen Lightning Motors run a prototype of their superbike at the Bonneville Salt Flats, they expect to sell production models during 2010.  And now Mavizen is getting ready to sell the TTX02 in Q1/2010.   Additionally other companies may enter the superbike market with Brammo, Electric Motorsports, and Zero Motorcycles being likely contenders.  (See Lightning Motors has second fastest electric motorcycle, ahead of Mission Motors)

Mavizen has been leaking a series of tease photo's prior to next week's launch.  Obviously details will be revealed next week but that hasn't stopped informed speculation from trying to figure it out ahead of time.   One of the teaser images is the usual blur job but with a bit of photoshop detective work a writer on Asphalt and Rubber found an unblurred thumbnail which indicates Mavizen is using a KTM RC8 as the frame of the TTX02.  Installed in the frame is two Agni motors.

The Mavizen announcement also claims the TTX02 will be "the first factory production vehicle to be delivered with a dedicated IP access and connectivity to the network".  What this precisely means is yet to be seen as for example other vehicles have had data connectivity to some sort of network, e.g. the Tesla Roadster can phone home with data that Tesla turns into vehicle improvements.

The Mavizen TTX02 will be unveiled on Tuesday 3 November at the SEMA show in Las Vegas (Press conference 13.00hrs in the Making Green Cool Zone). The bike will be unveiled by the Honourable John Shimmin, MHK, Minister for Local Government and Environment, Isle of Man Government. A full technical specification and high resolution photos of the bike will be available at the launch.

TTXGP is developing a global programme of low-carbon motorsports events working with the Auto-Cycle Union, British Motorcyclists Federation and the Fédération Internationale de Motocylisme to provide a platform for competition to drive technology and innovation into the next generation of motorsports.