Harmful levels of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere have been linked to an estimated 40,000 premature deaths in the UK each year; combined with incentives, restrictions and taxation, all industries with a heavy reliance on petrol and diesel are looking to alternative energy sources, and electric motorcycles are included in those visions.
Not to be confused with ‘e-bikes’ or ‘pedelecs’, which have a maximum power output of 250W, pedals, and a maximum speed of 15.5mph, electric motorcycles have been experimented with since the late 1860s. Only in 1996 did they first enter mass production though, with Peugeot’s ‘Scoot’Elec’, which reached speeds of 28mph and had a 25 mile range. Not many were sold though.