Electric superbike to take on fuel jockeys.
An all-electric motorcycle is set to compete against gasoline-powered racers in January 2011.
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Chip Yates and the SWIGZ.COM electric superbike Image: SWIGZ.COM |
The SWIGZ.COM pro-racing team is taking its superbike, the most powerful electric 'bike in the world, to compete in a race at California's Auto Club Speedway on Jan 9 2011.
The 'bike, ridden by Chip Yates, will battle against conventionally powered machines such as the Ducati 1198 and KTM RC8 in the roadrace, and the team are very clear they are "not on the track to make up the numbers" and that their electric dream machine will be race-competitive.
After the 'bike was banned from FIM and TTXGP electric motorcycle Championships for being too heavy at 266kg (the limit is 250kg for those series), SWIGZ.COM decided to go head-to-head with 'real' motorcycles. With a power-to-weight ratio similar to a 600cc fuel racer for the January event, putting out 194hp, the team is looking at a massive 20% power boost later in the month to make it competitive against the 1,000cc machines.
