Article: Brammo calls Empulse 'an electric motorcycle without excuses'

[Phantom]

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-brammo-empulse-ims-20111207,0,6374324.story

"The AC permanent magnet motor on the preproduction version is also being tweaked and will likely increase its 54-horsepower output. The 9.7-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack will rate between 9.5 and 10 in the production version, Bramscher said."

Sweet, more horsepower.


LA Times article with some nice Empulse details. Ignore the dufus comments posted at the site (at least so far.)

Empulse video to go with the article:
http://www.latimes.com/videogallery/66682590/Auto/Brammo-Empulse

[Brammofan]

Hey, I tried to clear up some of those dufus comments!

[Phantom]

Nice, I guess it takes some time to get your comments to show on that site.

I tried to post the video that went with the article, but I could not embed the video link.

[FreepZ]

If you watch the video, at 0:50 you would hear this:

... and charging, what will likely be a 10 kWh lithium ion battery pack, will be possible with the same level 2 charger used on the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.

It sounds to me that the LA Times believes that the Empulse will have a J1772 socket. I wonder if that information is true.

[Richard230]

Finally, some new news!  That bike looks really great.  I hope Brammo can keep the high specifications of the show bike when the production bikes are released.   

[Brammofan]

Guys- can you post comments to this article? Mine is gone and the only one showing is the negative one from the dufus.

[Phantom]

Here is what posted. I did not link anyone back here because I did not want my comments to be deleted. I think I left enough breadcrubs for people to track back here if they like:

Excellent article about the deveolpments of the Brammo Empulse. I own a 2010 Brammo Enertia and my order is in for the Empulse. I linked this article to our Brammo forum, and I was shocked a bit by the ignorance of some of the posts here.

I will clarify a bit:

You can find pricing on the Brammo website for the Empulse. Brammo builds safe electric motorcycles and they are not silent by any means. The Empulse is Brammo's sport bike model that will go into production in 2012. I have noticed that pre-orders are over 1,500 so far based on the few pre-order customers who post on a Brammo owner website that I belong to.

Zero also builds safe electric motorcycles. They will release a similar performance, sport motorcycle in 2012 as well. I am also a fan of Zero Motorcycles, but I prefer Brammo.

Range is limited on electric motorcycles due today's battery technology, but advances are being made all the time. Gasoline has a great capacity to store energy. My preference is to commute to work on electric motorcycle because I like the technology and I do not like air pollution. The cost model of electric motorcycle ownership is different than that of tradition ICE motorcycles as the maintenace and operating costs are lower for electric motorcycles.

If anyone is serious about knowing more about electric motorcycles, there are plenty of resources online.

[Brammofan]

Here's that video, for the lazy:
[smg id=301 type=av]

[860]

Thanks for the link to the video.  I guess that tags me as the lazy guy here...   

Is the first mention of the level 2 charger and more horsepower, or has that been confirmed somewhere else too?

Also, the story said "When Brammo's bikes come to market next year, they will be sold at some Polaris and Victory dealers, 'but that's not our only distribution channel," Bramscher said, "We'll develop our own dealers as well."" 

Has anyone seen any confirmation on which Polaris dealers will be selling them? 



(PS -- For the record, I would be perfectly happy if Brammo Empulse production number #1416 were painted black just like this one.  Although I'd be happy with original red too.)