2012 Production Empulse specs are...

[davidsoulen]

Has anyone gotten an email? I've been getting pre-order emails but not today.

[EmpulseRider]

Has anyone gotten an email? I've been getting pre-order emails but not today.

I have not gotten an email yet either.

[Mr.Rodgers]

No email for me, juts the link to the press release that 'fan put up

[protomech]

I don't see why they would use another motor. It's possible they may detune the motor or decontent the "standard" Empulse slightly.

* 7 modules would give 104 V 90 Ah, 9.3 kWh. Exactly 50% more capacity than Enertia Plus, and 3/4 capacity of Empulse RR. Same capacity as an earlier guess, but I was wrong about the common cell capacity (10 Ah instead of 35 Ah).

BTW I think they went to the offset battery module format because of the odd number of modules - the original Empulse concept would have looked incomplete with an odd number of modules.

I suspect this means the "standard" Empulse will be available with 5 modules, for 74 V 90 Ah, 6.7 kWh. 6 modules would disrupt the Empulse aesthetic (n+1 modules up top, n modules on the bottom) and wouldn't really represent a large enough cost spread to justify the lower model.

The charger should be onboard and completely integrated into the bike. For the J1772 inlet you will use a charging cable attached to the standalone charger, whether a public-accessible freestanding charger or a wall-mounted charger you install in your house. To plug into a standard 110v or 220v socket you will need an additional cable (Brammo will certainly include a cable for your country's mains voltage, 110v in the US).

Regen braking is neat. As much as they pooh-poohed that idea, and as little benefit as it seems to provide in the real world (TBD) .. it's a neat feature to play with while you ride, and it gives a small boost to the headline city range specification.

Speaking of range:

Zero S ZF9 7.9 kWh
114 miles, 69 Wh/mile EPA UDDS // city riding, 20-30 mph typically
63 miles, 125 Wh/mile EPA combined // 50% city miles, 50% highway miles
43 miles, 184 Wh/mile EPA highway // steady 70 mph riding

Empulse R 9.3 kWh
121 miles, 77 Wh/mile EPA UDDS // worse than Zero, Empulse weighs 100 lbs more and probably has sticky tires
77 miles, 121 Wh/mile EPA combined
56 miles, 166 Wh/mile EPA highway // better than Zero by about 10%

Maybe the transmission does help highway range .. the Zero's motor may be operating in a pretty inefficient RPM at highway speeds.

[Lastb0isct]

Also like the reference to a passenger and luggage!!

 

I agree! This is going to be great for the small commutes me and my SO will take down to her parents!

[socalmike]

Whoa! Can't wait to see them in LA next month!!!

[Gavin]

At outreach clinic...anything going on ?



G

[protomech]

Two things that piss me off about how Zero lists their specifications.

1. Maximum vs nominal capacity. Maximum capacity is determined by the cell's maximum voltage when pulled hot off the charger multiplied by battery capacity. As the cell discharges, it quickly falls from maximum voltage to somewhere near nominal, and continues to fall from there .. so the maximum capacity statistic is like measuring the long dimension of a fuel tank and calculating a "maximum volume" as a cube with edge length equal to the fuel tank long dimension.

Maximum capacity is a completely useless specification and it confuses consumers who might compare (for example) Zero's 7.9 kWh ZF9 (9.0 kWh maximum) against Brammo's 9.3 kWh Empulse R. I think Zero billing its bikes based on the maximum capacity specification is the reason Brammo now lists the Empulse with a maximum capacity .. and I really wish both companies would list only the nominal capacity.

2. Range. Zero lists only the EPA city range and the combined city / highway range as "highway commuting". Even though the 50% highway miles / 50% city miles is not an unrealistic scenario, a LOT of people mistake this as highway range when strictly riding on the highway. I would really like to see Zero explicitly list a pure highway specification, as Brammo has with the Empulse.

I would wager that we will see people improperly comparing Zero's 63 mile "combined" range against Brammo's 56 mile "pure highway" range.

[Gavin]

The Oregon-based company will produce two versions, the Brammo Empulse and the Brammo Empulse R. Brammo has released new specifications for the R version though it’s not clear what differentiates the two models. The Empulse R will likely be a faired version similar to the Empulse RR TTXGP racebike. More specific differences will come when both versions of the Brammo Empulse are revealed May 8.

RR--race bike
R--pseudo race bike--Empulse with fairing
Empulse-naked bike

As for battery??

G

[1lesscar]

R=street legal race bike, like all the japanese R's

The Oregon-based company will produce two versions, the Brammo Empulse and the Brammo Empulse R. Brammo has released new specifications for the R version though it’s not clear what differentiates the two models. The Empulse R will likely be a faired version similar to the Empulse RR TTXGP racebike. More specific differences will come when both versions of the Brammo Empulse are revealed May 8.

RR--race bike
R--pseudo race bike--Empulse with fairing
Empulse-naked bike

As for battery??

G

[Shinysideup]

I'm delighted by the mention of both hard side cases and a top box, as they suit my needs, along with 2-up seating.

I agree with the general lack of utility of regen, though "familiar feel" of engine braking may be a good thing. But, as with electric bicycles, where regen is even less effective (less weight), consumers seem to be in awe of getting something for nothing. So it's probably a good marketing move.

I must say, waiting seems to have been worthwhile...

[EmpulseRider]

"Brammo, Inc., the designer and manufacturer of world leading electric motorcycles today announced details of its much anticipated Empulse and Empulse R electric sport bikes."

I only see Empulse R details (specs)...  

[1lesscar]

$18,000 USD, to account for the more expensive suspension, frame, gearbox, larger motor, more powerful charger, cooling system, etc.  You know what they say. You get what you pay for.   

you better be wrong because many people will just buy a car and use a ice moto.

[karlInSanDiego]

Marchesini, Marzocchi & Brembo will give the Empulse R tremendous street cred (and wheels help efficiency), but none of those components belong on a commuter bike, which many on the forums seem to want to use an Empulse for (sorry, from Delaware originally, where we end our sentences with prepositions...often).  So my guess is that the base Empulse is equipped with equal sized components (ie same size tires, brake rotors, and triples) but using more pedestrian grade stuff (Showa forks, Nissin calipers, lower priced cast wheels).  If that's the case, they'll deliver identical  performance unless you're on a track, but folks who want to buy the best, can spread out more dough for top notch components that make extreme riding better.  And you can get good press with your halo spec'd bike in the comparos, while still being able to sell lots of units for the cheaper price.

That's an industry trick to maximize your profit with ranges of target buyer, maintain halo status, but not outprice your lower budgeted buyers, but it requires no retooling or altering your assembly process at all.
Witness
Ducati 1198 vs 1198 SP
Aprilia RSV4 vs RSV4 Factory
Triumph 675 vs 675R
MV Agusta F4 R vs F4 RR
Some of those give a mild boost to the motor too, but mostly, their component swaps of very interchangable parts.

I would be happy if photos of the Empulse R do include a fairing, and it could make the bike more palatable to some.

[Brammofan]

Just noticed that the email sent out today mentions a video interview with Craig, and that out will be released tomorrow.