An electric bike: Speed-350 kmph, Price-Rs 25 Lakhs

Meet the Lightning superbike, from Lightning Motorcycles. The Lightning SuperBike became the world’s fastest production electric motorcycle with the SCTA official World Record of 215.960 mph and a best timed run of 218.637 mph at Bonneville during Speedweek in August 2013.

Richard Hatfield, founder and CEO of Lightning, has been a motorcycle rider since he was 12 yrs old. He was interested in electric vehicles in 1994 after driving an electrified Porsche. He drove the car in racing events in 1996-1997, and ever since, has been very interested in EVs and started thinking about where this technology was going and how it could be used in motorcycles.

The key was finding the right battery technology. He finally found a source for lithium batteries with the right size, current and amperage that he could use to build a bike. An AC motor and controller were installed in a Yamaha R1 Race bike that became the donor chassis and the project took off.

The bike was built in 2006 and 2007 and made it’s first appearance 2007. In 2009, the promoters for the first electric motorcycle race staged at the Isle of Man stated that the LA Times video with the first Lightning bike inspired the idea to convince the Isle of Man to create an EV class at the TT. This would eventually become the TT Zero, the world’s premier electric motorsport event.

The Lightning LS-218 presents the first opportunity that consumers can purchase a production motorcycle capable of setting land speed records and winning road racing competitions that is as easy to ride as a 250cc commuter bike. Lightning’s LS-218 IPM liquid cooled 10,500 rpm electric motor can produce in excess of 200 hp and 168 ft/lbs of torque. Lightning’s proprietary Ultra High Power Density Drive system allows max power setting without any concerns of overheating. At highway speed, LS-218 can exceed 100 miles range per charge with the standard battery package. You can use standard power outlets to charge LS-218. At public fast charging stations, it will take less than 30 mins to charge.

Specifications:

TRANSMISSION:

• None. Direct drive motor.

SUPERBIKE MOTOR:

• IPM liquid cooled 150kw+ 10,500 rpm electric motor. This generates an equivalent of 200 hp and 168 ft/lbs of torque.

BATTERY PACK:

• Battery Pack options:
• 380V 12kwh battery pack good for 100-120 miles per charge*
• 380V 15kwh battery pack good for 120-150 miles per charge*
• 380V 20kwh battery pack good for 160-180 miles per charge*
• Lightning Motorcycle exclusively uses the most powerful and safest best of breed batteries currently available.
• Charging time:
• 30 mins on a quick charger or 120 minutes on level 2 charger.

WEIGHT:

• 495 lbs

SUSPENSION:

• Front suspension:
• Öhlins FGRT inverted fork
• NIX30 cartridge internals, TiN surface treatment, billet aluminum radial caliper mountings.
• Fully adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping.
• Rear suspension:
• Billet aluminum swingarm with linear
• Öhlins TTX36 Shock and linkage system
• Adjustment for preload, ride height, high and low speed compression and rebound

BRAKES:

• Dual Brembo 320mm disc; Brembo radial-mount forged 4-piston calipers
• 2 Brembo T-Drive 320mm Fully-Floating Rotors
• 2 Brembo Brembo GP4-RX CNC Radial Calipers

REGENERATIVE BRAKING:

• User programmable

WHEELS AND TIRES:

• Front:
• Marchesini forged magnesium 3.5? x 17?, 120/70ZR17
• Rear:
• Marchesini forged magnesium 6.0? x 17?, 190/55ZR17

SEAT HEIGHT:

• 32 inches

Watch the video of the SportBike in motion: