The race teams and riders entered in the upcoming TTXGP have been announced and most everyone you would have expected to be there, is. Motoczysz, the late breaking move based on their recent website post, is in the lineup, Mission Motors with their Mission One, EVOdesign, Brammo, KillaCycle and many more. Commercial companies large and small, universities and colleges, all ready to put their machines to the test.
The rider lineup is impressive, too, with 7-times TT winner Mick Grant riding for EVOdesign, just one among many notable names.
Seven nations are competing, the UK and the Isle of Man, Italy, the USA, India, Germany and Austria.
The capabilities of the various motorcycles vary widely and there will be racing in the Pro and Open classes to take this into account, not all teams have images of their motorcycles available, while some are computer images only, so it remains to be seen whether every team will be on the grid with a fully tested race bike.
Whether you find electric motorcycles a curiosity or you believe them to be the inevitable next phase of motorcycling, it is worth your while to study the team entries because the bikes are pushing the boundaries of what present day electric drive technology can do.
TTXGP Press release:
TTXGP, the world’s first zero-carbon eGP, is delighted to announce that 24 bikes and riders from 16 different teams and seven different countries will compete in its inaugural race. The TTXGP is set to take place in the Isle of Man on June 12, 2009, as part of the traditional TT programme.
Alongside teams from the UK and the Isle of Man, there are representatives from Italy, USA, India, Germany and Austria, making this ground-breaking event a truly global competition. TTXGP founder, Azhar Hussain, said, “With twenty-four confirmed entries, we are thrilled with the high level of interest the TTXGP has generated globally, and the superb quality of teams that will be involved in our first zero-carbon race.â€
Entries to the race range from the US-based Mission Motors team, which claims its electric superbike, Mission One, can reach speeds of up to 150mph, through to the Isle of Man’s own entry.
British innovation and enterprise is well represented by Rick Simpson, Director of EVO Design Solutions, “Our EV-0 RR and EV-0 R entries will highlight the all British design and manufacture aspect of our race team. The motor, chassis and control systems used by the EVO Design Solutions team are all developed and built in the UK.â€
A number of the UK’s top universities and colleges are getting involved. Brunel University, Kingston University and Imperial College London are all developing electric race bikes and hope to provide some serious competition to the more commercial US teams. Together with Mission Motors, commercial US teams include MotoCzysz, Barefoot Motors and Brammo, makers of the Enertia electric bike.
The list of riders taking part in the TTXGP includes seven-times winner of the Isle of Man TT, Mick Grant; Olie Linsdell, winner of the 2007 Northwest 200 400cc race, beating John McGuiness’s lap record in the process; Tom Montano, who has previously raced the fastest MV Agusta in the history of the Isle of Man TT races; Dan Kneen, who made history in the 2008 Manx Grand Prix by being the first person ever to win three races in a week; Paul Owen, one of the stars of the PlayStation2 game ‘TT Superbikes Real Road Racing Championship’; and Maria Costello, Guinness World Record holder for fastest female lap of the TT circuit.
Other riders of note include Thomas Schoenfelder, Roy Richardson, Rob Barber, Chris Petty, David Madsen-Mygdal, Martin Loicht, Antonio Maeso, Garth Woods, Chris Heath, Marie Hodgson, Steve Harper, Alessio Corradi, Steve Macdonald, Mark Miller, Alan Connor, and Chris Palmer.
Local Isle of Man interest will be represented by the ManTTx team, which will be thinking about more than just the environment when they roll up to the line on June 12, 2009. ManTTx team leader, Keith McKay, said, “We’re not in this just to save the planet. We’re in this to put a winning motorcycle under a winning rider and win the race.â€
Azhar added, “Among the competitors are past TT winners and a number of seasoned motor cycle racing pros, all of whom are excited by the challenges and prospect of racing clean machines.â€
Technology
In terms of technology, the use of lithium-ion batteries is a common theme running through many of the teams’ bike entries, but that’s where the similarity ends. Some teams have incorporated the use of regenerative braking, another first in racing terms, while others, such as Imperial College London, are using a fully recyclable composite material for the body work of its bike.
The IET is the official technical advisor to TTXGP. The panel is made up of leading experts from the academic and commercial sectors, many of them members of the IET global automotive and road transport systems technical panel.
Mary Donovan, IET Head of Communications, said, “The technology and innovation we are going to see at the TTXGP is a catalyst for converting all those who care about the world to wake up and realise that technology is the vehicle by which we can achieve the changes we so desperately need.
“With twenty-four entrants going head-to-head in a bid to prove who has developed the greatest clean-emission race machine, nowhere will the products of competitive innovation be more apparent than in the 2009 TTXGP. It’s going to be a great motivator for budding engineers and will go a long way to prove that there is real excitement, energy and value in the fields of engineering, technology and science. Let the race begin!â€
| TEAM | RIDER |
| HTBLAUVA – TGM (AU) | Martin Loicht |
| eROCKIT (D) | TBC |
| eROCKIT (D) | David Madsen-Mygdal |
| XXL (D) | Thomas Schoenfelder |
| TORK (INDIA) | Garth Woods |
| ManTTx Racing (IoM) | Dan Kneen |
| Rondine Racing Team (IT) | Alessio Corradi |
| Brunel X-team (UK) | Steve Harper |
| EVOdesign (UK) | Mick Grant |
| EVOdesign (UK) | Olie Linsdell |
| EVOdesign (UK) | Paul Owen |
| Imperial TTxGP (UK) | Chris Palmer |
| Kingston University (UK) | Maria Costello |
| Team Agni (UK/INDIA) | Robert Barber |
| Barefoot Motors Racing (USA) | Chris Petty |
| Brammo/BIKE (USA) | Roy Richardson |
| Cool World Team (USA) | Steve Macdonald |
| Cool World Team (USA) | Antonio Maeso |
| Electric Motorsport (USA) | Chris Heath |
| Electric Motorsport (USA) | Marie Hodgson |
| KillaCycle Racing/Lightning Motorcycles (USA) | Alan Connor |
| Mission Motors (USA) | Thomas Montano |
| MotoCzysz (USA) | Mark Miller |
Link: TTXGP
hoyt says
So this is a glimpse of what it may have been like to be a motorcycle fan in 1909.
Speed Channel – will you please provide complete coverage to North America for this historic event?
As The Kneeslider says, “Whether you find electric motorcycles a curiosity or you believe them to be the inevitable next phase of motorcycling, it is worth your while to study the team entries because the bikes are pushing the boundaries of what present day electric drive technology can do”
nobody says
I would love to see a graph showing a kWh/lap time for that course. Considering the distance, hills, and miserable aerodynamics of these machines, it could open a lot of eyes before the race even begins.
Skadamo says
No Zero. Bummer. Barefoot is a big surprise. Wonder if Myth Busters will get Discovery Channels interest in the race. TV coverage would be awsome! eRocket is cool to see. They probably won’t ride their pedal assisted bike I assume. Thanks for the list!
skadamo says
To clarify my Myth Busters comment, Jaime Hyneman is a co-founder of Barefoot if some did not know. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpRdSLaLaFs
WRXr says
Fantastic! I’d love to watch!!! I bet 2010 has 10 times the entries.
kneeslider says
I wonder how many thought the initial TTXGP would be getting this many entrants with this level of initiative and engineering? Instead of a little demo race with some slow bikes circulating around the course, this could turn out to be an impressive bit of high speed technology on display. Very neat.
Lucinda says
The Barefoot team is excited to be there, even though it is not we are focused on. We hope to show how advanced electric vehicles are! Actually Jamie Hyneman is not a Co-Founder but an Advisor, though he is what helped get our first proto-type going. Hope to see you there!
tom says
Are any of these entrants putting generators on their brakes? Seems like an important consideration for minimizing pit stops…
Skizick says
Will they have speakers on ’em that play engine noises so the folks will know when they zooooom by?? The Quite Riot EH!
skadamo says
Lucinda, thanks for the clarification on Jaime, my apologizes.
It is interesting we still have not seen any TTXGP bikes that are streamlined…
http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/470MPG/TTXGP%20Fairing.html
“Total side area behind the rider must be at least 20% greater than total side area* in front of the rider.”
Lucinda, maybe you know. Do the TTXGP bikes have to use streamlining to enter the race?
Mike Holgate says
All the releases state 24 entries, but I can only find 23 on the published list. Is someone hanging back for bets?
Lucinda says
Skadamo,
TTXGP has no requirement on the bikes entering the race to be streamlined.
Mike Holgate,
There is a company who will be entering 2 bikes, just an FYI.
As the race gets closer everyone is getting much more excited, I just wish I could go 🙂