The Motorcycle Industry Council Adopts Protocol For Determining Real-World Range of Electric Motorcycles

Buyers Will Benefit from Accurate, Comparable Miles-Per-Charge Data

IRVINE, CA – April 29, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Consumers looking for consistent and accurate information about the real-world riding range of electric on-highway motorcycles may soon find help from a new procedure developed by the Motorcycle Industry Council. The City Riding Range Test Procedure for Electric Motorcycles, created by the MIC’s Electric Vehicle Task Force, establishes a standard method for determining how far an electric bike will travel between full charges.

Until now, manufacturers have used different methods for calculating range, making it difficult for shoppers to compare various electric motorcycles that they are considering for purchase. And some methods may not accurately estimate the actual range on a fully charged battery, even under similar operating conditions. The MIC anticipates that manufacturers will immediately and voluntarily begin using the protocol. The MIC task force also hopes to have this recommended procedure adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), an organization internationally known for developing motor vehicle standards.

“Widespread adoption of this new standard could really help shoppers who are looking to purchase an electric motorcycle,” said Larry Little, chairman of the MIC Board of Directors. “The MIC is the perfect place to unite various stakeholders and reach consensus on workable test procedures that will benefit both consumers and manufacturers.”

The MIC procedure is based on the Urban All-Electric Range Test used for electric cars under California and federal regulations. The procedure determines the range, expressed in miles or kilometers, for stop-and-go operation, representative of riding in an urban area over a variety of roads and traffic conditions. Since the MIC protocol is for motorcycles, which are ridden and not driven, it has been named the City Riding Range Test Procedure for Electric Motorcycles.

Starting with a fully charged battery, range is determined based on the distance that can be traveled before the vehicle is no longer able to keep up with a specified speed-time profile. The basic driving cycle in the protocol sets top speed at 56.7 mph and average speed at 19.6 mph. A low-speed driving cycle, with a top speed of 36.5 mph and an average speed of 17.7 mph, is used for vehicles with a maximum speed under 56.7 mph but not below 20 mph. The MIC test procedure is not intended for vehicles with a top speed under 20 mph.

The MIC’s Electric Vehicle Task Force includes representatives of on-highway electric motorcycle makers Brammo, Quantya and Zero, plus other original equipment manufacturers, distributors and MIC members.

“It’s vital for electric motorcycle manufacturers to have standards that we can agree on and that customers will find useful,” said Scot Harden, vice president of global marketing for Zero Motorcycles in Santa Cruz, Calif. “We appreciate the much-needed efforts of the MIC, and everyone connected with the Electric Vehicle Task Force, as more and more electric motorcycles emerge on the market.”

Besides the test procedure, the task force is addressing a broad scope of issues related to electric vehicles, such as land use, other technical/performance standards, public information and education. On Capitol Hill, the MIC’s government relations staff monitors and advocates lawmaking in Congress that promotes electric vehicle use and ensures that two- and three-wheeled vehicles are included in such legislation.

In state legislatures across the country, debate over regulations and tax laws pertaining to electric vehicles is becoming more common as more of these machines are being produced and sold. The MIC is promoting electric motorcycle inclusion in numerous bills that provide tax credits and sales tax exemptions for four-wheel electric vehicles.

The entire text of the MIC’s new City Riding Range Test Procedure for Electric Motorcycles is available here.

The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. It is a not-for-profit, national industry association representing manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts and accessories, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants. The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metro Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at www.mic.org.

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Electric motorcycles kick gas at Minimoto SX Energy Crisiscross

by Domenick Yoney

May 12, 2010 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – “They would kick their anthropomorphized butts back to the factories from whence they came, preferably for recycling.”

This statement appears to be the long-sought answer to the question of how today’s electric off-road motorcycles would fare on a track against their 150cc gas-powered brethren. Now that the the question has been definitively answered at the 2010 Minimoto SX Energy Crisiscross by Drew Gosselaar’s domination of the race aboard a Quantya Track, let it nevermore tug at the back of your mind like that faint urge for milk and cookies at two o’clock in the morning.

It wasn’t just the successful hole-shot to checkered flag performance of the Swiss-built bike that makes the case though. For that we turn to exhibit B: a pack of five Zeros in hot pursuit filling the remaining spots on the podium as well as 4th, 5th and 6th place. A rather convincing finish to the first AMA-sanctioned “electric vs. gas-powered” race, we think. The only question the result prompts is “Who’s next?” Make your way past the break for a little blurb about the event from Zero Motorcycles.

About the MiniMoto SX race:

The 2010 MiniMoto SX showed that Zero Motorcycles’ dirt bikes are becoming increasingly competitive on the track. Zero Motorcycles’ selected a Zero owner, Blake Mitchell, to field a team. By supporting a team lead by a customer Zero hopes to show what other dirt bikers could do with an electric motorcycle that is fun, competitive and available now.

Zero Motorcycles took four of the top five places at the race which included a field of twenty gas and electric motorcycles. Three of these riders came from the team that Blake Mitchell, a Zero MX owner, put together. The other rider was a former MXGP World Champion, Sabastian Tortelli, who two years earlier competed on Zero Motorcycles’ first production Zero X electric motorcycle.

Who Raced:

Zero Motorcycles’ MiniMoto SX team was put together by a Zero owner. Blake Mitchell and his team represents a classic Zero Motorcycles story. Originally riding gas motorcycles, Blake purchased his first Zero in 2008 to open up new riding possibilities around his urban home. He, his brother and others in the area also purchased Zeros for similar reasons. After work or on the weekends they are able to train without disturbing their neighbors.

Sebastian Tortelli, a former MXGP World Champion, first rode a Zero X for Zero Motorcycles at an exhibition race in 2008 at the MiniMoto SX. For the 2010 race he returned, interested in trying the latest Zero Motorcycles’ dirt bike. Sebastian practiced on the Zero MX for a few minutes in the afternoon the day of the race and that evening placed an impressive third.

About Zero Motorcycles Racing:

Zero Motorcycles is committed to proving electric motorcycle technology by participating in dirt and street competitions. Zero held the world’s first fully electric twenty four hour off-road race in 2009. In 2010 Zero claimed first place in the final heat of a French dirt bike race to place an overall third among a field of two hundred and fifty gas competitors. By supporting racing series Zero continues to bring electric motorcycle technology from the track to the garages of riders around the world.

Racing shows people the exciting performance capabilities of electric motorcycles and causes them to think about what they might do with a motorcycle that is not only fast and fun… but is also stealthy, inexpensive to operate, easy to maintain and lightweight.

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Quantya, Zero Motorcycles to take on gassers at MiniMoto SX Energy Crisiscross

by Domenick Yoney

April 19, 2010 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The MiniMoto SX kicks off in Las Vegas on the 6th of May and both Quantya USA and Zero Motorcycles will be representin’. This time, the race won’t be merely a battle between the two brands but rather a contest that pits the old gas-powered paradigm against the new electric drivetrains in an open format that organizers have dubbed the “Energy Crisiscross” (ECX). The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) event will see ten electrics – five bikes from Zero Motorcycles and five from Quantya USA – along with ten four-stroke gas machines competing in qualifying with the top riders heading to the Friday night final.

While we don’t know yet who will be piloting the battery-powered bikes, the aptly-named Scott “The Burner” Burnworth will be playing the part of the old-school champion. Astride a BBR-tuned 16-inch Honda CRF150F, he will be defending his title and can’t be taken lightly in a contest that could easily be determined by rider skills rather than fuel choice. We won’t make any checkered-flag predictions ourselves, but do take heart from a certain video  featuring a scrappy performance from an early Quantya Track taking on a field of Husqvarna 510s. Whatever the outcome at the finish line, we feel the ECX is a win for electric bikes and look forward to seeing more inclusive match-ups in the future.

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Electric Motorcycle Showdown

SYOSSET, N.Y., May 8 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Every year, thousands of motocross fans and enthusiasts make their way to Las Vegas for the finals of the Supercross Race series. At the 2009 event, 5,000 excited fans gathered at the Orleans Arena for the much anticipated Mini AMA/Maxxis Supercross race. Many of those in attendance were unaware that history was about to be made. To promote greener sport riding, event coordinators were holding the first ever electric motocross event.

Two companies, Quantya and Zero came with a fleet of electric motocross dirt bikes and competed head to head in a 6 lap race. As the crowd cheered for the legendary riders such as Mike Metzger, riding for Quantya and Ryan Dudek, riding for Zero, the race started amazingly quiet. With all electric motors, the competing motorcycles generated little noise and no gas fumes. As the bikes raced around the tracks, spectators could actually hear the bikes kicking up the track dirt.

Out of 11 riders in the race, Brian Roth and David Lodermeier, both riding for Quantya, celebrated as they came in first and second respectively, leaving the other riders far behind them. Even Metzger, who had troubles at the start of the race, had caught up and ended the race in fifth place for team Quantya.

This race offered a completely new and exhilarating experience for the viewers and the riders alike, giving a significant push towards a new wave of cleaner sport riding.

“We are proud to be a part of the first ever electric motocross race and dedicate this momentous win to our loyal customers and the entire Quantya Team. We want to extend our most sincere thank you to our sponsors, No Fear and Fox Shox for their support!” said Dario Trentini, CEO, Quantya USA.

About Quantya

“Swiss Electric Movement” is the result of eco-conscious motorcycle enthusiasts who started the development and distribution of zero-emission high performance electric motorcycles. Quantya USA, part of the Swiss Electric Movement, wants to bring the massive success of the Quantya electric motorcycles to the US market. Quantya USA, the exclusive importer and distributor for the USA and Canada, is located in Syosset, NY and more information can be found at www.quantya.us.

Website: http://www.quantya.us

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