Tag Archives: Lightning Motorcycle

World’s most expensive electric motorcycles

The prices of electric motorcycles will eventually come down like the prices of flat-screen TVs did, but right now they are very expensive.

We’ve charted the top 10 world’s most expensive motorcycles and were surprised to find they even include two pedal-assisted bikes, the $US80,000 (about $A114,500) Black Trail electric mountain bike and the eROCKIT at $US40,000 ($A57,250)!

However, they also include the world’s fastest motorcycle, the 150kW (200hp) Lightning LS-218 in 10th position at $US38,888.

Harley-Davidson Livewire electric motorcycle specs strikes diverse expensive
Harley-Davidson Livewire

We were originally surprised that the Harley-Davidson LiveWire would retail for $US29,799 ($A41,699) when it arrives in North America and Europe in September.

It will not come to Australia and New Zealand until 2020. No price has yet been released, but it could be as expensive as the top-of-the-range Harley Tourer.

However, it pails in comparison to these electrics.

Top 10 most expensive electric motorcycles:

  1. Detonator $US150,000 ($A215,000)

    Detonator expensive electric motorcycle
    Detonator

  2. Peraves MonoTracer MTE-150 $US100,000 ($A143,000)

    Peraves MonoTracer Electric MTE-150 expensive
    Peraves MonoTracer

  3. Lito Sora $US82,250 ($A118,000)

    Lito Sora electric motorcycle expensive
    Lito Sora

  4. Black Trail BT $80,000 ($A114,500)

    Black Trail BT electric motorcycle expensive
    Black Trail BT

  5. ZecOO $70000 ($A100,200) 

    Zec00 electric motorcycle expensive
    Zec00

  6. Ophiro $70,000 ($A100,200)

    Ophiro Electric Motorcycle expensive
    Ophiro

  7. Mission One $69,000 ($A99,000)

    Mission One Electric Motorcycle expensive
    Mission One

  8. Curtiss Zeus Bobber and Cafe $US60,000 ($86,000) 
  9. eROCKIT $US40,000 ($A57,250)

    eROCKIT electric assisted bicycle expensive
    eROCKIT

  10. Lightning LS-218  $US38,888 ($55,660)

    Lightning electric motorcycle fast electric LiveWire electric bike race expensive
    Lightning record-holding electric race bike

Prices coming down

Those are quite expensive, but prices are coming down.

For example, Lightning has now released the more affordable street bike, the Strike, at $US12,998 (about $A18,000).

Electric Lightning Strike strikes out expensive
Lightning Strike

It’s not a “pov-pack” bike, either as it comes with plenty of aluminium and carbon, has 140kW of power, 196Nm of torque and maximum range of 450km.

The top-selling electric motorcycle company in the world is Zero Motorcycles who pulled the plug on exporting to Australia and New Zealand in 2017 with no hint of a return just yet.

In 2017 their fleet ( Zero S, SR, DS, DSR, FX and FXS) ranged in price from $18,000 to $25,000 on the road. That’s quite reasonable.

Now they have released their top-of-the-range SR/F at $US18,990 with 82kW of power, 190Nm of torque, a top speed of 200km/h and range of about 130km on the highway and up to 260km in the city.

Zero SR/F expensive
Zero SR/F

Good on you if you want to be an early adopter of electric motorcycles at these prices.

But while we love the acceleration exhilaration of electric motorcycles, we think we’ll wait until the price and charging times come down, range goes up and infrastructure is in place.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Ducati amps up electric bike race

Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali rides a Hypermotard converted to electric power with a Zero FX powertrain and recently said the company is about to join the electric bike race.

At a recent student event in Spain he told the crowd: “The future is electric, we’re not far from starting series production.”

It’s no news that Ducati has been considering an electric model since about 2017 when a Ducati executive revealed they had electric plans for a motorcycle and a scooter by 2021.

In the same year, VW Group Chairman Matthias Mueller upped the ante saying Ducati would have an electric motorcycle “by 2020”.

Ducati has also collaborated with Milano Scuola Politecnica di Design (Design Polytechnic School) students to produce the futuristic Ducati Zero electric sports bike.

Ducati Zero electric concept 2020 electric bike race
Ducati Zero electric concept

And, in preparation for electric motorcycles and scooters, Ducati introduced their first e-mountain bike, the MIG-RR, at the ECMA motorcycle show in Milan last November.

electric bike race
Ducati MIG-RR electric mountain bike

So it’s all gearing up for an electric Ducati motorcycle sooner rather than later.

However, Claudio is a bit vague about timing: “not far from starting series production”.

He makes it sound imminent, but it would be strange to start series production before unveiling a concept model.

Realistically, we expect a concept at EICMA later this year with bikes available for sale next year.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com