A little more than a year ago, Chip Yates set out to build an electric motorcycle. His goal was simple: Build a no-compromise machine capable of running with race-ready rides.
It took just 12 months to do it. Yates and the Swigz.com crew made racing history — and proved the viability of electric motorcycles — last month when they went head-to-head with gasoline machines at AutoClub Speedway and won. Say what you will about the bike’s styling, but there’s no denying its speed. Yates hit a top speed of 158 mph on his way to two podium finishes, beating bikes like the Suzuki SV650 and Ducati 848.
Work continues on the bike, with Yates shooting for 240 horsepower to improve the 585-pound machine’s power-to-weight ratio. In the meantime, the team’s released a video that condenses 12 months of development and racing to 3:20. Enjoy
Video: Chip Yates
See Also:
