The Piaggio Group announced it has secured a €60 million (US$77.6 million) financing deal with the European Investment Bank to fund the development of new products.

The seven-year loan will fund research and development projects at Piaggio’s Italian facilities. The loan is in addition to investments Piaggio already budgeted for the period from 2013 to 2015 to develop new products. The new research and development projects will focus on three fields: safety, fuel-efficient combustion engines and alternative fuel technologies.

For safety, Piaggio will be working on active, passive and preventative safety measures. This is especially important in light of recent legislation enacted by the European Parliament to make ABS mandatory for motorcycles and scooters with engines larger than 125cc by 2016. Piaggio has already gotten a start toward that goal, gradually adding ABS to models such as the 2013 Aprilia RSV4 R and RSV4 Factory. Continue Reading »

Daytona International Speedway played host to the TTXGP World Final, where TTXGP competitors from its three regions — Australia, Europe and North America — would battle it out for top honors. This marked the first time in the famed speedway’s history it has ever hosted an electric motorcycle race of any kind, making the event a truly historic moment. The grandeur of the event wasn’t lost on 2010/2011 TTXGP World Final Champion Matthias Himmelman and Australian champion Jason Morris, as they dug deep to raise the funds necessary to make the trip to Daytona to race against two-time, and defending North American champ, Steve Atlas aboard the Team Icon Brammo Empulse entry. Continue Reading »

Italian electric motorcycle company CRP will unveil a running prototype of its upcoming Energica streetbike at the Casa Enzo Ferrari Museum. The presentation will take place Nov. 7 and will be streamed live over the Internet, giving the public the chance to see the Energica before it will be the focus of CRP’s stand at the EICMA show a week later.

A concept version of the Energica was shown at last year’s EICMA show in Milan, Italy, but the CRP is ready to present its fully operational prototype for 2012. Though the company did not compete in either the TTXGP or FIM e-Power electric racing series this year, CRP does boast a racing heritage behind its Energica.

The CRP Energica is based on the company’s eCRP race bike first unveiled in 2010. Later that year, CRP and racer Alessandro Branetti won the TTXGP‘s European Championship before finishing second in the World Championship final to  Muench Racing and rider Matthias Himmelmann. CRP followed that up with a third place finish in the 2011 TTXGP European circuit. Continue Reading »

French manufacturer Peugeot is not very well known on this side of the Atlantic. Sure, some people may have heard a thing or two about Peugeot’s cars, but it’s easy to forget the company also produces scooters. Next week, Peugeot will present its new Onyx supercar concept at the Paris Motor Show, but it won’t be alone. By its side will be a bicycle concept and the Onyx Supertrike concept pictured above.

The Onyx Supertrike is still just a design concept at this point but it does have some interesting features. With two wheels on the front end and one at the rear, the Onyx Supertrike resembles the Piaggio MP3. The Onyx however has a large hump in the middle.

This hump is part of the Onyx Supertrike’s transformer function, allowing it to convert from a sporty trike to an urban commuter. In sporty mode, the rider leans over the hump and positions his feet on the rear footrests. Remove the hump however and the Onyx Supertrike resembles the MP3 with feet forward positioning and step-through scooter design. We’re not sure how practical this feature is, but again, it’s a design concept, not a production model. Continue Reading »

Team Zongshen rider Yu Tang came through in a surprise win in Sunday’s FIM e-Power International Championship event at Oschersleben. After teammate Ho Chi Fung’s respectable third place in Saturday’s three-lap sprint, Tang found himself on the highest step of the podium after favorites, and Munch Racing teammates, Matthias Himmelmann and Katja Poensgen experienced mechanical trouble. The Zongshen rider took the chequered flag at the end of the ten-lap race ahead of Udo Reichmann (Reichmann Racing-Mavizen) and Christian Amendt (epo-Bike).  Continue Reading »

BMW has unveiled the a new “near-production” prototype of its electric maxi-scooter. The German manufacturer has produced five operational prototypes of the BMW C evolution scooter which will be showcased at various events around Europe to prepare for the launch of the serial production version.

The BMW C evolution maintains many of the styling cues from the Concept e scooter unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The white side body panels maintain their boomerang shape, though its much more angular and has a rectangular panel on its lower half. A refined split seat and mirrors with integrated turn signals complete the near-production picture.

The scooter is powered by a 14.8 hp continuous output electric motor (as measured by ECE R85 regulations) with a peak output of 46.9 hp. According to BMW, the C evolution has comparable 0-60 kph acceleration to 600cc internal combustion scooters. Top speed however is capped at 120 kph (74.56 mph). Continue Reading »

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Jul 10, 2012– GE Capital’s Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) business has agreed to provide Brammo Inc. with inventory financing to support the expansion of its dealer network in the U.S.

“We’ve proven that we can successfully marry technology with performance and now we’re ramping up our efforts to deliver our unique products to the marketplace,” said Craig Bramscher, founder and CEO of Brammo. “This program with GE Capital will support the rapid growth of our distribution network, allowing leading motorcycle dealerships to capitalize on the growing demand for electric motorcycles.”

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The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is adding the Zero XU to its fleet of motorcycles approved for its rider training programs. The Zero XU has already been put into service in a pair of pilot programs and will soon be available in programs across the U.S.

The XU provides some benefits for inexperienced riders.  As an electric motorcycle, riders won’t have to worry about excessive heat and with little noise, it would be easier to listen to instructors. Beginners also won’t have to worry about gear shifting or operating a clutch, allowing them to focus on other riding skills.

“The Zero XU successfully completed a pilot program on two training courses in Washington state and Florida. Students and instructors alike found the motorcycle to be highly responsive and handle nicely,” says Mark Cummings, Zero Motorcycles’ North American fleet manager.  “The XU allows students to enhance their skills and concentrate on the fundamentals of riding, while still experiencing the look and feel of a traditional motorcycle. Course operators also love that there is very little upkeep in terms of maintenance and, of course, no fuel to add or other fluids that can run the risk of spillage.” Continue Reading »

The Motorcycle Industry Council has developed a new protocol for determining the range of electric motorcycles. The MIC’ had previously established protocol for measuring range in city riding, but the new protocol adds a range test for freeway riding.

The “Highway Commuting Range” test is for electric motorcycles capable of a top speed of at least 26 mph and measures how far a motorcycle can travel before it suffers a “significant degradation in performance”. The purpose is to provide a realistic range expectation so consumers can make informed decisions when shopping for electric motorcycles.

“The electric vehicle segment of the motorcycle market is at a crucial point,” says Paul Vitrano, MIC general counsel. “As an organization that promotes the prosperity of the motorcycle industry, we have a rare opportunity to provide support to this fledgling segment of the market. This new MIC protocol for determining range for electric motorcycles is a step in the right direction toward providing consumers with reliable information they need to make purchasing decisions.” Continue Reading »

Zero Motorcycles is launching what it calls a new “awareness program,” albeit a naturally self-serving program, titled, Ride a Zero Motorcycle – Join the Silent Revolution Demo Day.

On Saturday, May 19, Zero dealers across the U.S. will offer free demonstration rides for qualified, licensed motorcycle riders, along with providing product overviews of Zero Motorcycles’ entire lineup.

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