Brammo Enertia

The biggest topic gripping the world today would undoubtedly have to be climate change. Motorcycles and scooters are already an alternative to gas guzzling cars but is there more that can be done? How can we ensure the roads aren't clogged up with ugly hybrid cars?

On July 10, Brammo Motorsports brought to the world the Enertia, a zero-emissions and battery powered plug-in electric motorcycle. Now this is obviously not a replacement for the Supersport sitting in your garage but a smart commuting solution. Brammo claim the Enertia’s range of 45 miles (72 kms) significantly exceeds the daily commute for the average U.S. consumer of 29 miles (46 kms) and with a battery charge time of 3 hours to full re-charge, you won't have to wait long to get on your way.

So, will you get to work faster by walking? Does it have all the handling characteristics of a broomstick? Well the Enertia uses an ultra strong, light-weight a carbon fiber chassis helping the bike to tip the scales at 275lbs and integrates six lithium-phosphate batteries from supplier Valence Technology that together produce the power to propel the Enertia to a top speed of over 50 mph (80km/h).

With 100% of it’s torque available from 0 rpm, the Enertia is always poised to provide instant response, something necessary when playing traffic pinball. At it’s quickest setting, the Enertia will sprint from 0 to 30 mph in 3.8 seconds and while it's not really comparable to faster machinery it certainly is enough to propel you forward faster than the majority of small cars on the market.

Ok, you're not going to embarrass your mates on their sportsbikes but this thing is about commuting and satisfaction knowing you're playing a part in keeping the planet together.

Brembo brakes and Pirelli tyres will keep everything under control and it's good to see Brammo have chosen two highly reputable companies to supply the components.

Another feature of the Enertia is the Momentum software which enables you to download information about your driving habits from the bike and customize your it to the performance setting that best suits you.

What makes the Enertia so much more interesting than other electric bikes is the actual design of the bike itself. It doesn't look like what you imagine an electric bike to be and it certainly has more cred than a scooter. While those scooter riders are busy desperately trying to relive their holidays in the Greek Islands, the Enertia just looks funky and fits right in to the urban environment.

The Enertia is mostly about offering a commuting alternative to those vehicles with high levels of emissions and they have the facts to back it up. Brammo Motorsports explain: " Well to Wheel studies allow us to truly compare "apples to apples" when it comes to evaluating the energy efficiency or emissions of a particular vehicle. Since there is energy expended to bring fuel to the consumer, be it gas or electricity, you must consider the entire system of energy rather than just the single vehicle's energy consumption. Naturally, an electic vehicle emits no emissions during operation (often referred to as a ZEV or "Zero Emissions Vehicle"). However, the energy that is stored in the batteries was generated at some point from either a coal, nuclear, wind, solar, or hydro-electric generation plant. So... when we compare the Enertia to other vehicles, we always make sure we take into account the full energy equation on both sides."

Want to know how the Enertia stacks up? Check out the graph in the gallery on the left but as a quick guide, the average motorcycle produces 140.4 grams/km of CO2 Emissions whereas the Enertia does it in 21.8 grams/km.

At present there are no plans to export the Enertia to Australia as Brammo will be putting all their effort into making sure the bike is a success first in North America. I'm sure once word gets around, it will only be a matter of time before we see it here especially considering the rapid rise in scooter sales. For now, the Enertia gives us permission to say 'electric' and 'motorcycle' in the same sentence.db

Links:
www.enertiabike.com
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