Greenshift: Brammo Launches Plug-In Electric Motorcycle

Jan. 1, 2020

ASHLAND, OR (July 20, 2007) - Brammo Motorsports, the same collection of motorheads responsible for bringing the road-rocket Ariel Atom to the United States, has decided to confront the global-warming frenzy with an actual product: the Enertia, a zer

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Greenshift: Brammo Launches Plug-In Electric Motorcycle

Orders can now be placed for the limited edition Enerita "Carbon" model, priced at $14,995 and set for delivery in early 2008. (Photo: Bruce Whitaker)ASHLAND, OR (July 20, 2007) - Brammo Motorsports, the same collection of motorheads responsible for bringing the road-rocket Ariel Atom to the United States, has decided to confront the global-warming frenzy with an actual product: the Enertia, a zero-emission, fully plug-in electric motorcycle. To create the Enertia, Brammo harnessed its enthusiast heart and material-science expertise to approach carbon emissions without compromising the perspective of true riding enthusiasts. The goal was to provide a practical product that hits on multiple levels: environmentally sound, sharply engineered, cutting-edge materials, fun to own and look at. Its central structure is an H-shaped carbon fiber monocoque, which serves as both the motorcycle's chassis and its battery tray. Machined 6061-T6 aluminium threaded hard-points (foot pegs, swing arm, etc.) are bonded to the carbon fiber structure - a race-bred building technique. This method results in a chassis that weighs a mere 16 pounds.

Beneath a small lid where you'd normally fill up a motorcycle with gas is a connection to recharge the bike from any regular 110-volt electrical outlet. (Photo: Bruce Whitaker)

Unlike your typical motorcycle, the Enertia reduces a commuter's carbon footprint by 92 percent. It requires no gas or oil, and thus smells like neither. It has no clutch or gearbox, and is practically maintenance-free. It runs nearly silent, has no exhaust and doesn't get hot. In addition, the Enertia's "engine" is an alternator-sized electric motor mounted at the bottom of the chassis just ahead of an 86-pound battery package. The package consists of six 12-volt lithium-phosphate battery packs which, unlike lithium-ion or lithium-cobalt, are exceptionally resistant to combusting, even if the batteries are impacted or punctured.

The Enertia will reach an 80-percent charge in two hours, and be fully recharged in three. The power level of the Enertia is user-selectable over a range from 40 to 100 percent. This determines how fast you draw current from the batteries. This adjustability allows you to trade more power for decreased time. At the 40 minimum, for example, Brammo claims a realistic range of 40 to 50 miles between charges, exceeding the 29-mile average U.S. commute.

Brammo says that the Enertia's power ratings (12-25 horsepower, 17-34 ft-lb of torque) make it comparable to a Kawasaki Ninja 250 in terms of horsepower, but the electric drivetrain provides double the amount of torque (the force that gets you moving), in a package 30 pounds lighter. At the 100-percent power setting, Brammo claims a 0-30 mph time of 3.8 seconds, with a top end of 50 mph - fast enough to fit into any traffic flow.

(Source: Brammo Motorsports)