History of electric motorcycles and scooters
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- Late 1860s: Earliest references to electric motorcycles can be found in patents.
- 1911: Electric motorcycle available according to early Popular Mechanics article. [1]
- 1920s: Ransomes, current makers of forklifts, explored the use of an electric powered motorcycle. This and other developments helped pave the way for the company to use electric mining cars and lorreys. [2]
- Early 1940s: Fuel rationing in United States caused Earle Williams to convert a motorcycle to electric power. This became the basis for the formation of the ParCar from the Marketeer Company. [3]
- 1941: Fuel rationing in Occupied Europe encouraged an Austrian company by the name of Socovel to create a small electric motorcycle. Approximately 400 were manufactured. [4]
- 1967: First Fuel Cell powered electric motorcycle created by Karl Kordesch at Union Carbide debuts. Demonstrated the feasibility of fuel cells as a power source. This particular fuel cell was an alkili fuel cell that operated with hydrazine, a rocket fuel propellant. [5]
- 1967: "Papoose" moped sized electric motorcycle prototype is created by Indian Motorcycle Company under the direction of Floyd Clymer. [6]
- Early 1970s: Aurenthetic Charger moped sized mini bike (small motorcycle) sold. [7]
- 1973: Mike Corbin sets first electric motorcycle land speed record of 101 mph.
- 1974: Corbin-Gentry Inc. begins sale of street legal electric motorcycles.
- Professor Charles E. MacArthur makes first electric vehicle ascent on Mt. Washington, NH using a Corbin Electric motorcycle. The event evolved into an annual rally called the "Mt Washington Alternative Vehicle Regatta".
- 1978: Electric Harley Davidson MK2 created by Transitron manufactured in Honolulu, Hawaii. [8]
- 1988: Eyeball Engineering creates KawaSHOCKi electric dragbike and is featured in a major magazine. [9]
- Late 1990s: EMB Lectra VR24 electricmotorbike created by Scott Cronk and EMB. Pioneered the use of variable reluctance motors (hence the VR) and marketed as street legal. [10]
- 2000: Killacycle makes record run of 152 mph (245 km/h) at 9.4 s quarter mile (400-metre) time at Woodburn Drags 2000, OR.[11]
- 2007: A123 Li-Ion cell-powered Killacycle makes new quarter mile (400-metre) record of 7.824 seconds and 168 mph (270 km/h) in Phoenix, AZ at AHDRA 2007. [12]
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