History of electric motorcycles and scooters

Late 1860s: Earliest references to electric motorcycles can be found in patents.
1911: Electric motorcycle available according to early Popular Mechanics article.
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.
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.
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.
1967: First Fuel Cell powered electric motorcycle created by Karl Kordesch
Karl Kordesch
Karl Kordesch was an Austrian chemist and inventor, most notable for jointly inventing the alkaline battery.-Life:...

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.
1967: "Papoose" moped sized electric motorcycle prototype is created by Indian Company under the direction of Floyd Clymer.
Early 1970s: Aurenthetic Charger moped sized mini bike (small motorcycle) sold.
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.
1988: Eyeball Engineering creates KawaSHOCKi electric dragbike and is featured in a major magazine.
1996: Peugeot Scoot'Elec
Peugeot Scoot'Elec
The Peugeot Scoot'Elec was an electric motor scooter produced by Peugeot in France.Launched in 1996, the Scoot'elec was based on the Zenith, with which it shares body panels and suspension parts. It is powered by a DC motor fed from three Saft nickel-cadmium monoblocs giving an 18 V,...

was the first mass production of an electric motorbike.
Late 1990s: EMB Lectra VR24 electric motorbike pioneered the use of variable reluctance motors (hence the VR) and was marketed as street legal.
2000: Killacycle made a record run of 152 mph (245 km/h) at 9.4 s quarter mile (400-metre) time at Woodburn Drags 2000, OR.
2000s The development of lithium-ion batteries and powerful electric motors (originally for military applications) made mainstream electric motorcycles more feasible.
2007: A123 Li-Ion cell-powered Killacycle
Killacycle
The KillaCycle is an electrically powered motorcycle purpose-built for drag racing. It was built and is managed by a small motorworks team owned and run by Bill Dubé...

set a new quarter mile (400-metre) record of 7.824 seconds and 168 mph (270 km/h) in Phoenix, AZ at AHDRA 2007.
2008: Electra Green made by Orlando Tony Parker in Omaha, Nebraska was the first electric motorcycle made in the state of Nebraska.
2009 "The 24 Hours of Electricross", the first all electric dirtbike race.
2009 The first Time Trial Xtreme Grand Prix (TTXGP) all electric street motorcycle race took place on the Isle of Man
2009 Isle of Man TT
The 2009 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 30 May and Friday 12 June on the Mountain Course. The 2009 TT races again include a second 600 cc Supersport Junior TT race and the Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT races held on the Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man...

.
2010 ElectroCat was the first electric motorcycle to climb pikes peak and set a record time in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

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