The Mission One EV electric sports bike got a proper unveiling at this week's Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference, and boy does this baby exude power. Mission Motors says the motorcycle's got an 150 MPH top speed and 100 foot-pounds of torque at any point between 0 and 6,500 RPM. That's a good deal faster than the Electric Motorsport GPR-S, which tops out at a now-paltry 100 MPH. The lithium-ion battery keeps it running for 150 miles, and charge time is targeted for under 2 Hours at 240V (8 Hours at 120V). Its stylish form factor comes from famed industrial designer Yves Behar. Yeah, we're excited, too, but here's the part where you flinch: the deathly silent super-scooter will first show up in 2010 with a 50-unit limited edition run costing $68,995 apiece. A more affordable model will be announced sometime this summer. If you've got a need for this much muted speed, be prepared to mortgage a house or two.
[Via: Autoblog Green ]
[Tag: electric motorcycle, electric vehicle, ElectricMotorcycle, ElectricVehicle, ev, mission, mission motors, mission one, mission one ev, MissionMotors, MissionOne, MissionOneEv, motorcycle, one ev, OneEv, technology entertainment design, TechnologyEntertainmentDesign, ted, ted 2009, Ted2009 ]
Mission One electric motorcycle boasts 150 MPH top speed, extreme price tag
Tesla can't get funding, postpones plans to build new factory
Looks like Tesla's decision to jack up options pricing on the Roadster to make the company's financials more enticing to investors didn't necessarily pay off: the company failed to score the required $100m in private funding needed to start building that new factory and HQ in San Jose. The new plan is to request some $400m from the government's Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program and spend it on both the planned facility and an advanced battery and powertrain lab -- which might mean Tesla would have to move elsewhere, since the ATVM requires the money to be spent rehabilitating an older factory. We'll see how this one plays out -- although we're still in love with the Roadster, Tesla itself always seems to be one stroke away from catastrophe.
[Via: Gearlog ]
[Tag: tesla, tesla motors, tesla roadster, TeslaMotors, TeslaRoadster ]
2009 Porsche Boxster S
Symptoms of a split personality usually call for a visit to the shrink. But at Porsche, vacillating between mid-engine and rear-engine convictions has proven healthy for the soul.Sixty years ago, when Dr. Ferdinand Porsche and his son Ferry collaborated on their first production model, the goal was to exploit lessons they had learned racing mid-engine Auto Unions. When that didn't pan out, the Porsche 356 arrived with a rear-engine layout that was subsequently passed on to the immortal 911. Then in 1953, Ferry was finally able to scratch his mid-engine itch in the 550 Spyder, Porsche's first racing car. That branch of the family tree still thrives in the RS Spyder that won last year's American Le Mans LMP2 championship.For its roadgoing models, Porsche uses trickle-down technology to feed its schizo habit. The new engine and PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe) dual-clutch transmission recently introduced for the 911 arrive wrapped in modestly face-lifted Boxsters and Caymans this March. As a preview of coming attractions, Porsche offered us a few hot laps in one Boxster S around Willow Springs Raceway's tight Streets of Willow course.Consider this the second coming of the 987-series platform that Porsche introduced in 2005. While the body and the chassis are largely carryover, new lamps and fascias provide a fresh appearance and improved night visibility for the Boxster/Cayman quartet. Inside, the 911 dash and console upgrades play here nicely, albeit in a cost-conscious form.There are power and tech upgrades galore. Larger front brake rotors and a six-speed manual transmission are now standard. The seven-speed PDK automatic, which costs an extra $3420, gives two-pedal owners better control, improved acceleration, higher cruising mileage, and a launch mode for smoking the rear tires.The base Boxster and Cayman receive power and displacement bumps, while S-model engines clear the 300-hp hurdle for the first time thanks to direct fuel injection, a higher compression ratio, lighter moving parts, and reduced friction. The 3.4-liter flat six's redline has been raised to 7400 rpm.Willow provided an excellent refresher about why we love Boxsters old and new. They're light on their feet, impeccably balanced, and easy to drive to and through the limits of adhesion. Compared with their big brothers (911s), the steering is more communicative and the tail is less likely to pass you by when control is relinquished to Sir Isaac Newton. A new limited-slip differential working in conjunction with revised suspension calibrations enables heavier corner-exit throttle tromping without wobble or wheel spin.
[Via: Automobilemag ]
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