#electric

(Update: We’ve received some clarification from Harley-Davidson: the product of Project LiveWire is on track for 2019, but the arrangement with Alta Motors is for new electric models beyond the LiveWire. This story has been updated to reflect this information.)

Harley-Davidson has filed a trademark application to use the name “H-D Revelation” for its upcoming electric motorcycle technology. The trademark was filed with the U.S. Patent Trademark Office for use on batteries and chargers as well as powertrains, specifically motors, transmissions and electric drives, but not for as a model name for a whole motorcycle.

Energica made e-bike waves in 2013 when it let us ride the prototype of its Ego electric superbike that reached production in 2014, the year we tested a production version of the Ego. Boasting 136 hp and 144 lb-ft. of torque with a claimed 150-mph top speed, the Italian-designed Ego was fast and thrilling, to be sure. But its claimed 584-lb weight made it really heavy for a superbike, and its $34,000 MSRP destined it only for spots in the well-stocked garages of well-heeled enthusiasts. It fitted into a niche within a niche.

Dorna Sports officially introduced the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup, a new electric Grand Prix racing class set to begin in 2019 as part of the MotoGP tour. Dorna also unveiled the Energica EvoGP, a race-tuned version of the Ego that will be the used for the MotoE World Cup.

Electric motorcycle maker Alta Motors is set to double its model lineup with the addition of R-spec versions of its Redshift MX motocrosser, Redshift EX enduro bike and Redshift SM supermoto.

The Mugen Shinden is the most decorated electric race bike around, having captured the last four TT Zero races and holding the record for electric motorcycles with a 119.279 mph lap of the Isle of Man TT‘s Mountain Course.

When it comes to a (relatively) affordable mass-produced electric motorcycle, Santa Cruz, California’s Zero is the most prevalent manufacturer of e-bikes. Sure, Italy’s Energica has a high-end line of electrics and KTM and BMW are bringing to market electric dirtbikes (the Freeride E-XC) and scooters (the C Evolution), respectively, but we’re still waiting on Harley’s LiveWire and an Indian version of the Brammo/Victory Empulse platform. Then there’s the ultra e-bike, Lightning’s LS 218, which is offered in small-scale production, as well as the RedShift dirtbike from Alta Motors.

After first announcing the Vespa Elettrica project at EICMA a year ago, the electric Vespa is now ready for production, with Piaggio confirming it will be available worldwide, with orders being accepted in the spring.

Are we in the future, or what? We can buy groceries from Beijing while we video chat with family in Baltimore, carry supercomputers around in our pockets, and doctors can make new human body parts in a Petri dish. We don’t have jet packs or hoverbikes, but we may have the next best thing: practical electric motorcycles, motorcycles that ranges of 100 miles or more.

Honda announced new electric and hybrid versions of its PCX scooters at the Tokyo Motor Show. Both are scheduled to go on sale as 2018 models in Asia, including Japan. For now, the only PCX in North America remains the PCX 150.

Today, Zero Motorcycles announced its 2018 model line, and while the lineup remains unchanged from a model name standpoint, that doesn’t mean the electric motorcycle company has been sitting still.

Honda will present its second self-balancing motorcycle concept at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show, this time applying the technology to a new electric motorcycle. The Honda Riding Assist-e uses the same robotics technology that allowed the original Riding Assist concept to keep itself balanced at low speeds without rider input.

Now that AIMExpo 2017 is complete, we’ve compiled our choices for the coolest stuff we saw while perusing the show. While the number of new 2018 model-year motorcycles was limited because of the show’s early date, that didn’t prevent the show from reflecting a vital motorcycle industry. So, as we reflect on last week’s show, here’s a list – in no particular order – of the top 10 products that we saw at the 2017 AIMExpo in Columbus, Ohio.

Retired racer and Dorna‘s MotoGP race direction representative Loris Capirossi recently completed a private test of the Saroléa SP7 electric race bike to judge its candidacy for the spec bike for MotoGP’s upcoming electric class.

This just in from the “I wish they had these when I was a kid” Department: The Stacyc Electric Balance Bike is almost too cool for words. In recent years, we’ve seen balance bikes gain in popularity among parents who want to introduce young children to bicycles in a safe, confidence-inspiring way. The low seat height allows kids as young as two years old to sit on the seat and propel the bike by walking. So, what’s a father looking for a way to involve his son in his love of motorcycles to do? If your name is Ryan Ragland, you combine the strengths of a balance bike with a battery-powered electric motor and create the Stacyc Electric Balance Bike.