Voltra electric motorcycle by Dan Anderson
Got a note from Dan Anderson in Sydney, Australia about his design for an electric motorcycle called the Voltra. It's his thesis project for Industrial Design and it looks well thought out and very minimal.
My concern when looking at it was knee placement, the mounting bolt for the seat and tail section seems to be right where your knee would naturally fall. I included an illustration of rider position and it seems to confirm my thoughts but it may be the side perspective that only makes it appear that way.
Other than that, it looks good. Without a gas tank or air box to worry about, electric motorcycles can take design in a different direction and the Voltra underscores that point. Nice work, Dan.
Link: Dan Anderson's Voltra
Voltra electric motorcycle by Dan Anderson
Voltra electric motorcycle rider position
{ 19 comments }
I love the inverted exhaust pipe headlamps. I tend to dig anything that pushes the envelope and this is definetely bursting those seams. Nice effort.
Wow, the first electric with true styling. I would definitely own this….wow.
very nice
It’s an electric streetfighter! I love it =)
And as a 5th percentile rider, it looks like I’d fit on it just fine too.
Neat, except for those side panels. They detract from the uber nakedness of it, get rid of them and it’s a winner.
jw: completely agree!
this still looks like a proper bike, while doing away with all the unnecessary stuff! Really like the headlights too btw.
I’m a big fan of the “empty” tank on an electric motorcycle, highlighting the fact that it doesn’t need gas.
I don’t get it. I’m no expert but wouldn’t one of the big advantages of an electrical motorcycle be the fact that we can have 2 smaller electrical engines incorporated into the wheels (and just imagine the potential of a 2 wheel “no mechanical” traction control)? Because there is no need for a gear box and this way all the space in the “middle” will be available only for the frame and fuel cells. Why don’t we see this simplicity into all this new designs?
Now that is a good looker, and I suppose if you want a pillion passenger it would be a two bolt swap job.
Golem (great name…): Two wheel drive is a great concept, but using in-hub electrical engines increases unsprung weight, which is not desirable. It may matter less on cars, and when one day much lighter electrical engines have been developed, it may not matter so much on motorcycles.
Ian Drysdale had a motorcycle with 2 wheel drive. very cool concepts he has
http://home.mira.net/~iwd/2x2x2/index.html
Siiick..
Bike looks excellent, but i can’t help but think those two frame rails just in front of the seat may a be a little uncomfortable on sensative bit of goods that reside there. hehe catch my drift?
Like i say, so looks good though,
Cheers
Interesting idea – yep the bolt looks like it’d get in the way but a few clicks of a mouse on the CAD design would sort those out. All in all, it’s very inventive and a step in the right direction for an electric bike that shows some innovative thinking and a neat eye for design.
@ Billy
Hahahah! Check out this link. http://feralinjection.com/cbr/cbr1.html
Read the last paragraph and check the last photo. I bet the previous owner of that bike would disagree.
Can I build one? Keeping in mind that it is a design exercise, the thing that impresses me most is that it looks so ‘doable’. It appears to have been designed and engineered well, making a bike that is visually attractive to the point where I think many people would simply ‘want one’. Because their first reaction is desire, the fact that it is electric (E – powered?) becomes secondary. And it looks like it will be an enjoyable ride, rather than giving the sense of sitting on a UPS with wheels.
my only beef is the lack of progression in the rear suspension, from what I can see it has a linearly wound spring and no linkage. I have no contest that the ergo’s could handle 90% of all riders, but I don’t think the suspension could in it’s current layout without being specifically tailored to the intended rider. That all can be rectified easily enough though.
the design is absolutely beautiful, I love the negative space created by a lack of tank. Very innovative, great job
hey esskay, it’s a computer rendered concept motorcycle. I’m sure the spring works amazingly well.
-todd
nice minimal design with motor at rear swingarm pivot, good logical placement, would suggest could afford to lower bulk of battery mass to same ground clearance as motor for better handling, also was belt drive considered (cleaner, quieter, hopefully one day as good performance as chain) ? good job, like it alot