The automotive industry has been working hard in recent years to try and reduce their environmental impact. Hybrid cars have proven to be a huge commercial success since the launch of the Toyota Prius in 1997, and many car manufacturers are now starting to develop all-electric models.
Electric cars have been around since the 1890s, around the same time that a patent application was filed for the first-ever electric bike. Recent years have seen new electric motorcycles being developed and launched by some of the biggest names in the industry, finally providing a green alternative to the old gas-guzzling models.
10 Lightning Strike
Engineer Richard Hatfield founded Lightning Motorcycles in 2006, and his first move was to create a lithium battery that can be used on smaller two-wheeled vehicles. Their first model, the Lightning Bike, set a new land-speed record for electric motorcycles of 218mph at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats, and in 2019 the company launched their new motorbike, the Lightning Strike.
The Strike is a sports bike with a less impressive top speed of 150mph, but its most attractive feature is that it is one of the most affordable electric motorcycles available at the moment, costing just $13,000.
9 Zero SR
Founded by a former NASA engineer, Zero Motorcycles started life as Electricross in 2006 and by 2010 the company had managed to get their first model, the Zero S, on the market. Since then, Zero has unveiled a series of electric motorbikes based on the Zero S including the SR or street racing model.
The Zero SR has a range of around 180 miles in the city and a top speed of 102mph, which may seem slow to many hardcore bikers, but the SR looks pretty stylish for an environmentally friendly two-wheeler.
8 Honda PCX Electric
Newly-founded companies dedicated to the development of electric motorcycles may have led the way for the industry, but now more established names are also getting in on the act and launching their own electric models.
The Honda PCX may be more scooter than motorcycle, but it has been a staple of the Honda line-up since it was launched in 2009. The PCX Electric was subsequently launched by Honda in 2019 and is ideal for short city commutes with a top speed of 37mph and a range of 25 miles.
7 Lito Sora
Canadian bike manufacturer Lito Motorcycles launched what they described as the world’s first electric superbike in 2014. The original Lita Sora had a 40-kW motor and could accelerate from 0 to 60mph in four seconds, but the Lita Sora Generation Two, which was unveiled in 2019, can hit the 60mph mark in just three seconds and has a much more powerful 80-kW motor.
Owners should be able to get a range of an impressive 180 miles on one charge, but this kind of engineering doesn’t come cheap – a brand new Lita Sora will set you back $80,000.
6 Energica Ego
The Energica Ego is the first street-legal electric motorcycle produced by an Italian company, which went on sale to the public in 2015. With a top speed of 150mph, it can compete with gas-powered rivals and also boasts come cutting-edge design features.
The Energica Motorcycle Company even used the latest 3D printing techniques to create some of the component parts of the Ego motorcycle. With a range of around 100 miles, owners can enjoy a decent ride on their Ego and the bike can even be recharged at a fast-charging station in just 30 minutes.
5 Victory Empulse TT
A lot of the new electric motorcycles on the market are significantly more expensive than the old gas-powered models. After all, they often rely on new technology which hasn’t quite proven itself commercially, and which has often cost companies millions of dollars to develop.
If you’re looking to buy a decent electric motorbike on a budget, then the Victory Empulse TT is a great option at just $19,999, and it can still manage an impressive 140 miles between charges and get up to a top speed of 100mph.
4 Brutus V9
As the name suggests, the Brutus V9 is one of the biggest electric motorcycles currently on the market, and its 40-kW electric motor also packs quite a punch. With a top speed of 115mph and a range of an impressive 280 miles between charges, the Brutus V9 is well worth its $33,000 starting price.
The designers of the V9 have done a great job of creating a retro look for the bike, with chrome wheels and shocks, and there is even a law enforcement option available for any police forces that want to go green.
3 Harley-Davidson LiveWire
The Harley-Davidson name is synonymous with traditional motorcycles, so it may come as a surprise to learn that the company launched its own electric motorbike, the LiveWire, in 2019.
The LiveWire has a range and a top speed of 110mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 3 seconds, and the bike even set a record for the longest distance covered in 24 hours on an electronic bike when Michel von Tell rode his Harley-Davidson LiveWire 870 miles around Germany and Switzerland in March 2020.
2 Arc Vector
Arc is a British-based motorcycle manufacturer that was founded in 2017 to create a high-performance electric motorcycle. That machine is the limited edition Arc Vector, which boasts some cutting edge design as well as an impressively powerful motor.
The Vector has a top speed of 125mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 3.2 seconds and has a range of approximately 270 miles. Arc has also incorporated some futuristic features into their creation, including a head-up display helmet that uses the same technology as fighter pilots. There are rumors Arc has gone out of business, but their website is still up, claiming bikes will be delivered in 2020.
1 Alta Motors Redshift MKR
Alta Motors sadly went out of business in 2018, but not before they managed to launch and start selling their electric dirt bike, the Redshift MKR. The Redshift MKR isn’t just an environmentally-friendly option for off-road biking fans; it also manages to live up to the performance of gas-powered rivals.
Speed isn’t a major factor in dirt bikes, but the Redshift MKR can manage an impressive 50mph and has a range of around 60 miles per charge, which amounts to around two hours of off-road riding on the 220-volt setting.