What do you do when you love to ride motocross and 2 stroke engines are banned because of noise? Max Modena, living in Switzerland, decided it was an opportunity to build the Quantya, an electric MX bike without any of the usual 2 stoke buzz.
Powered by a 14kW electric motor running at 48 volts, it recharges in 2 hours after a running time anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, greatly depending on what kind of riding you're doing. Top speed is just shy of 40 mph but if you're doing motocross, how fast would you normally be going over jumps? Check out the photos and videos on the Quantya site and see how it does the job. I think it does quite well.
This bike was also designed to be used for rental work so the batteries can be swapped in under a minute which opens up a lot of other possibilities for general use if a spare battery is available for charging.
Electric motorcycles may very well come about through their use in limited venues whether short distance commuting or motocross in areas where noise is an issue or indoor MX or Supercross where the lack of exhaust would be a big plus. The KillaCycle is already making it big on the dragstrips. Electric motors already perform well, as batteries get better electrics will be able to handle more and more of a conventional motorcycle's duties but until then, they could fill many more specialized roles.
Link: Quantya via AutoblogGreen
Related: Zero electric motorcycle
Related: Enertia electric motorcycle
Jay says
This version of 2 wheeled fun, “e cycles”, is ever gainining. It is still heavily borrowing form combuston engine derivative when it comes to style an proportions. Well, proportions seem to be off. I had been watching this version for updates as it seems to have the proportions “correct”. http://www.electricmoto.com/
For a another version this is trying to break out on their own, well a little borrowed from Confederate.
http://www.electrobike.com/
The second link is to their racing version and I believe they just set/ appempted an electric bike recort at the recent BUB sponsored salt flats racing event at Bonnivele, Utah
http://www.electrobike.com/PiX/PiX.html
All great attempts and I aplaud their efforts and want to see more. I can value the justification of the high pricing on these untis relative to their combustion counterparts due to low volume and limited fab and production techniques. Will the masses jump in as well?
Insideous says
Jay, I wouldnt consider the electrobike at all on par with any of the motorbikes style wise. The electrobike is an arc connecting 2 circles with pedals…thus defining it as a bicycle or at the very least a moped.
Paul, lets not forget http://zeromotorcycles.com (aka http://electricross.com ) these guys are trying to break into the racing world as best as they can.
Quantya has very similar elements of their design from the electricmoto, maybe because were originally a distributor? I will give quantya props for targeting indoor racing as their venue since one of their targets, Italy, has little room for other types of racing in some areas. They have been publishing their videos on youtube in an effort of increasing their exposure.
GAMBLER says
2 strokes are not being banned due to noise as stated in your write up –
2 strokes are being killed by emissions/EPA
smokers are much quiter then 4 strokers
RobC says
Why use a chain? I do not see a gearbox either so I see no need for the chain?
Surely a well designed electric motor could be hub mounted and also used for braking.
Scratch that… I forgot sprung weight and that stuff… poor swingarm would break taking a big jump!
But used on a commuter bike that would save a lot of moving parts.
Tom says
I have ridden a Quantya and it is sick! It has a lot of potential.