Mission R Electric Superbike: much smaller, much more capacity
News Link




Despite featuring more battery capacity — 14.4kWh — than the 2010 MotoCzysz E1pc or the Chip Yates electric superbike, this Mission R is relatively tiny, with similar overall dimensions to a Yamaha R6 and lightweight— just 545lbs. Of course, it won’t be racing either of those electric bikes, it’ll be racing in the TTXGP, where specs like this should dominate. What of the much-promised Mission One production bike? That battery pack plus the Mission R’s 141bhp, 115lb/ft motor and steel strellis frame will be forming the basis of an all-new design that will be shown some time next year.

The Mission R is a triumph of packaging , allowing its engineers to squeeze that huge battery pack and the electric motor inside the trellis frame with a wheelbase just longer than that of a Ducati 1198. This also allowed them to act like ICE bike designers and pursue mass centralization. The Mission R’s center of gravity is located pretty much where you see the motor is and all heavy components are contained in one central package instead of spread out over the bike.

Where Chip Yates’ huge motor forces him to house his 180lbs battery pack in the tail of his GSX-R750-based superbike and MotoCzysz locates its motor under the swingarm, Mission is able to deliver a shockingly conventional package with the only oddity being the angle of the rear shock. Mission tells us this arrangement was chosen to keep the wheelbase short and the shock runs from a linkage under the swingarm to a top brace connected to the motor, which is a stressed member of the chassis.



We asked Mission to describe the shock arrangement: “The rear shock is actually pretty straightforward, it’s just at a unique angle. Above the shock is an upside-down v-shaped brace, the lower two points of which are bolted to the motor. The top part is stabilized by the carbon fiber seat subframe. The reason for this arrangement is to keep the wheelbase short while allowing for the motor and batteries to be placed near the center of gravity.”

Power comes from a liquid-cooled three-phase induction motor that boasts a completely flat torque curve delivering that 115lb/ft max all the way from 0 to 6,400rpm. Top speed is said to be 160mph. The 100kw motor controller is equipped with customizable regenerative braking maps and throttle maps, allowing the rider to set the bike up for maximum performance or maximum range (or anything in between) and tune throttle response to suit the requirements of individual tracks.

The motor and controller were developed by MissionEVT, the company’s new powertrain division, which now develops electric drive solutions for outside companies.

The Mission R is being unveiled today at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show and will get it’s race debut in the TTXGP next season.

Mission Motors Website

(Look Ma! No exhaust!! )

 

Looks amazing. How much does this thing weigh?

 

545 lbs wet.

A lot lighter than previous electric bikes, but still relatively heavy due to all the battery packs...

 

love everything about it..except i wonder...every bike i've had previously, i made sure they had upgrade pipes so i can be heard by nearby traffic..if this thing sounds anything like a prius...that would be scary.

 

For now, it's virtually silent.

All the noise from the video is coming from the Suzuki GSXR 600 following it. You can "hear" the bike when the GSXR's clutch is pulled...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYoRWcPJlSQ