Photo: Lightning Motorcycles
Lightning Motorcycles intends to pull the wraps off its newest machine, touted LS-218 in honor of the 218 mph (350.7 km/h) top speed the prototype it is based on reached at the Bonneville Salt Flats back in 2011.
Lightning says that the bike is a direct derivation of the machine which won both AMA and FIM races, a fully street-legal superbike which can easily race shoulder to shoulder with any existing traditional, internal combustion engine bikes. The LS-281 is powered by a liquid-cooled electric motor which produces north of 200 horsepower and a whopping 168 lb-ft (228 Nm) of torque, and can reach 10,500 rpm.
The proprietary Ultra High Power Density Drive system allows riders to ride the bike at max power without fear of overheating, while Lightning claims that the standard battery pack on the LS-218 has enough juice to provide an 100-mile (160 km) range at highway speed, with urban riding speeds obviously bettering these figures. Since charging is done in less than 30 minutes at public charging stations and the bike can also be recharged using household outlets, we’re looking at true convenience here.
Lightning plans to unveil the LS-218 on May 17 at the Quail Motorsport Gathering held in Carmel, California, and is already taking preorders and reservations for it. The price is $38,888 (€28,250), and official sources claim that a more affordable bike called Aion will also be unveiled this year, an equivalent of 650cc twin motorcycles.
The proprietary Ultra High Power Density Drive system allows riders to ride the bike at max power without fear of overheating, while Lightning claims that the standard battery pack on the LS-218 has enough juice to provide an 100-mile (160 km) range at highway speed, with urban riding speeds obviously bettering these figures. Since charging is done in less than 30 minutes at public charging stations and the bike can also be recharged using household outlets, we’re looking at true convenience here.
Lightning plans to unveil the LS-218 on May 17 at the Quail Motorsport Gathering held in Carmel, California, and is already taking preorders and reservations for it. The price is $38,888 (€28,250), and official sources claim that a more affordable bike called Aion will also be unveiled this year, an equivalent of 650cc twin motorcycles.
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