Friday Five (plus a few) with Craig Bramscher

[Brammofan]

http://theelectricgeneration.org/article/featured/friday-five-interview-with-brammo-ceo-craig-bramscher/

I see a couple questions by empulsebuyer and (uh) me.

Check it out

[oml]

thats great!

the question (and answer) most helpfull and surprising for me was:

4. “When will we see the first Empulse on the road in Europe, more specific in Amsterdam?” – Mico Naddeo

    Not soon enough, in my opinion! One of the challenges is building enough motorcycles to satisfy demand in N America before we launch in the European Union which involves getting the motorcycles homologated for Europe. The good news is that the 2014 model year Empulse R will go directly to EU homologation, so our plan is to have the Empulse on sale in Europe next year.

Assuming this will be truth some day:
I didnt expect them to review / modify the Empulse so quickly - we've gotten used to product development times of about 3 years now
But it may be the right choice, given the yearly builds of Zero MC.

[ttxgpfan]

I don't think we are looking at big actual changes, just minor ones.  Even Zero has said the crazy pace their bikes have taken isn't going to continue. 

[kingcharles]

My question answered, but it means I have to wait another year 
And my old Vectrix has to squeeze more kilometres out of its 2007 NiMH battery...
I was kind of hoping to get the Empulse in October this year at the latest.

At least it is good to know that as soon as the batteries cannot take me to the office anymore I can pick up a 2013 Zero. I did a 165 kilometre test ride on one last Sunday and I really liked it. But it would mean that the Empulse will have to wait for me to get tired of the Zero. I still hope to be able to ride an Empulse before I have to make the purchase decision though... So for now it is still: Go Vectrix!