Just unveiled at the TED2009 conference, the Mission One from Mission Motors, a hi-tech California startup company, building what is about to be the world's fastest production electric motorcycle.
How fast? 150 mph. Range? 150 miles. Torque? 100 foot pounds, instantly available whether you're standing still or cruising at 60 mph, no gears, just roll it on ... I think the game just changed.
Mission Motors, working under the radar as Hum Cycles, has been quietly developing their motorcycle for 2 years. Last year, a Ducati converted to electric power began showing up on the
back roads of California. This was their prototype, undergoing extensive testing and a few lucky riders got a chance to sample the performance of the bike coming back amazed by what they had just experienced.
Forrest North, co-founder of Mission Motors, began dreaming of building an electric motorcycle when leading the Solar Car Team at Stanford University. The dream continued, even as he joined
Tesla Motors to help engineer the company’s cutting-edge battery pack. In 2007, Forrest launched Mission Motors with the help of Edward West and Mason Cabot. Their mission: Build an electric motorcycle that could finally compete with gasoline.
They've assembled a top notch team: Dan Kaplan - CFO at Ducati North America from 2003 - 2006, Jeremy Cleland - AFM Racer & Product Mgr at Ducati NA, graduates from Cal Tech, Stanford, Virginia, Dartmouth, and MIT plus Engineers from Ford, Tesla, Google, IDEO, Intel, and Agilent.
Mission One - 150 mph production electric motorcycle from Mission Motors
The Mission One is the closest thing yet to a no compromise electric motorcycle. Excellent performance, excellent range, zero emissions and quiet.
Article continues below. Also,
see additional information from Edward West, President of Mission Motors, in the comment section below.
The throttle can be programmed by the rider for the most suitable response, how far it must turn for a given level of acceleration and how much regenerative braking on roll off. The production bikes will have what the engineers believe to be a best initial setting but owners will most likely tweak it as their experience increases.
I spoke to Forrest North about the Mission One and asked about the materials used in construction. The frame is aluminum but, while I expected carbon fiber for the body, Forrest said it doesn't fit especially well with their mission due to the environmental impact of its manufacturing process. The final decision about what specific materials will be used for the fairing and body work is yet to be made. Likewise, when I asked about weight, he stated it will be about 30 to 40 pounds heavier than a normal sportbike but the number will depend on a few final material choices so an exact weight is not yet specified.
The question some of you might have is how long to recharge? Electric motorcycles have 3 criteria of interest for many of you: performance, range and recharge time. Recharge is about 2 hours at 240 volts, 8 hours from a standard 120 volt outlet. With 240 volts, you can get roughly an 80% charge in 1 hour. As Forrest said, once you have the range, recharge is less of an issue, though 150 miles may not be touring bike territory, it certainly covers a large percentage of daily riding requirements and plugging in when you get home, the bike will be ready to go the next day or in a couple of hours if you want to head back out. Yes, it's still a trade off, but, nowhere near what we've come to expect with electric motorcycles.
Forrest also mentioned the most noticeable characteristic when switching back and forth between the Mission One and a standard bike is the total lack of vibration. The electric drive is completely smooth, something that quickly spoils the riders who have had the opportunity to ride it.
Mission One - from Mission Motors
| Powertrain |
| Battery Pack: | High Energy Lithium-Ion w/ Integrated Thermal Management System |
| Motor: | Liquid-cooled, 3-phase AC Induction |
| Torque: | 100 lb-ft @ 0 to 6,500 rpm |
| Transmission: | Single speed |
| Chassis |
| Suspension/Front: | Ohlins 43mm inverted fork; fully adjustable, 4.5-in travel |
| Suspension/Rear: | Ohlins Single shock w/piggyback reservoir; fully adjustable, 4.5-in travel |
| Brakes/Front: | Dual Brembo 310mm disc; Brembo radial-mount forged 4-piston calipers |
| Brakes/Rear: | Brembo 220mm disc; single-piston caliper |
| Wheels/Tires/Front: | Marchesini forged aluminum 3.5" x 17", 120/70ZR17 - race Compound |
| Wheels/Tires/Rear: | Marchesini forged aluminum 6.0"x17", 190/55ZR17 - race Compound |
| Target Performance |
| Top Speed: | 150mph |
| Range: | 150 miles per charge (est. EPA drive cycle) |
| Recharge Time: | Under 2 Hours @ 240V (8 Hours @ 120V) |
| Interactive Feature: | Adjustable regenerative rear wheel braking |
| Interactive Feature: | Intuitive / adjustable data acquisition system |
Racing:Mission Motorsports, their green racing team, figures a little track time is a good thing, too. They will test the Mission One when they take on the world in the TTXGP on June 12, the first zero-emissions motorcycle race on the Isle of Mann.
First deliveries and Pricing:The first Mission One motorcycles will be delivered early in 2010, First year production will be 300 units. The first 50 units will be offered as the Premier Limited Edition version at a price of $68,995. Yes, a bit pricey for the average rider but I will be surprised if these don't sell out.
If Mission Motors holds to their schedule and the bikes roll out on time with the stated specifications, they may change the way many people think about electric motorcycles. This is very, very cool. I like it, ... A LOT!
Mission Motors press release:LONG BEACH, CA - February 4, 2009 –Today, Mission Motors unveils a revolutionary vehicle, the Mission One, the world’s fastest production all-electric motorcycle, at TED2009. Mission Motors CEO, Forrest North, along with lead designer Yves Béhar, founder of fuseproject, will present the vehicle in development onstage to the TED audience on February 4. Mission Motors will exhibit the vehicle throughout the conference at the Kohler LivingHome at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, and will be on hand to discuss the company’s vision for a radically new brand of motorcycles. The company will also provide attendees the opportunity to see inside the product development process through the installation of a motorcycle design studio inside the Kohler LivingHome.
“The Great Unveiling,” the TED2009 theme, makes a fitting platform for the launch of Mission Motors’ first vehicle, the Mission One. It is the first production electric sportbike that features uncompromised performance and an iconic new design created by world-renowned designers Yves Béhar and fuseproject. With a top speed of 150 MPH and an estimated range of 150 miles, the Mission One rivals gasoline sportbikes while dwarfing the performance of any other electric motorcycle on the market. The electric drivetrain creates a riding experience unlike anything currently available on a production vehicle. The electric motor’s linear torque curve provides
peak torque at zero rpm, a feature gasoline engines cannot match. The motor delivers faster acceleration than most gasoline sportbikes without ever having to shift gears.
Mission One - from Mission Motors
The announcement formally debuts Mission Motors, a San Francisco-based company geared to redefine the world of performance motorcycles, which was founded in 2007 by entrepreneurs Forrest North (CEO), Edward West (President), and Mason Cabot (VP of Engineering).
Building on their backgrounds in engineering, a desire to develop clean vehicles, and a passion for motorcycles, the Mission Motors founders developed a proprietary high energy lithium ion battery pack that could provide both the range and acceleration needed for a high performance sportbike. The company (named Hum Cycles at the time) placed second in the transportation category of the 2007 California Cleantech Open, the largest cleantech business plan competition on the West Coast.
“As a motorcycle enthusiast and engineer I knew I could combine my passion for motorcycles with my passion for innovation and create a motorcycle that truly sets a new standard in the perception of electric vehicles,” said Forrest North, Founder and CEO, Mission Motors. “With the Mission One, we’re writing the next chapter in motorcycle design, delivering a new riding experience without sacrificing performance or design in a zero emissions vehicle.”
With core engineering underway and an attractive business model, North and his co-founders turned to Yves Béhar’s fuseproject to create Mission’s unique brand and creative direction, as well as an iconic industrial design for the first product. The engineering team at Mission Motors and the design team at fuseproject worked in close collaboration to design the Mission One from the ground up, creating a machine that makes a bold statement about performance, technology, sustainability and design.
”This project was a dream come true: a statement about how design can make performance and sustainability come together without compromise,” said Yves Béhar. “I believe Mission is an icon for a new era of efficient and exciting vehicles. Designed to express speed and efficiency in it’s overall sharp lines, the Mission bike is also highly detailed with special attention to a riders needs, bringing a high level of product design and ergonomics to a new generation of performance transportation.”
About Mission Motors:
Mission Motors is building the fastest production electric motorcycle in the world. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company combines innovative technology, iconic design, and superb performance with the freedom of a zero emissions riding experience. Mission's elite team of engineers is creating the first motorcycle company built on the innovative spirit of the Silicon Valley. The concept is simple: Redefine the world of
performance motorcycles.
