WITH electric motorcycle now becoming a focus for many mainstream manufacturers, the smaller, more niche manufacturers around the world are having to seriously up their game to stay in touch.
Kawasaki, Honda, Harley-Davidson, and now even Suzuki are all looking to an electric future, and with their millions in the bank, the rate of development in the two-wheeled EV sector is set to see a massive jump in terms of range, recharge time and riding experience.
One company looking to get the jump on the established brands in Voxan, the electric two-wheeled manufacturer owned by Gildo Pallanca Pastor, who also owns the French sports car maker Venturi.
Its latest machine, the Wattman, is an innovative take on the electric motorcycle concept, that features a few never before seen elements and design features.
The most interesting of which seems to be a kind of chassis exoskeleton, that sees outer frame and bodywork elements link together to form the backbone of the machine. As this type of structural design is becoming common in sports car design, it’s likely that the technique has been inspired by some of Venturi’s four-wheeled exploits.
The battery is encased in sleek looking aluminium panels that link together with the motor casing, creating a smooth yet strong exterior to the bike that does more than just look good. Beneath the panels lies a 12.8kWh battery pack, good for a claimed 110 miles, and capable of powering the Wattman to 200bhp and over 100mph.
The motor is Voxan’s own design and build, featuring permanent magnets and liquid cooling. Along with 200bhp, the maker’s claim the Voxan has arm-wrenching 200Nm (147lb-ft) of torque.
Keeping to the cruiser aesthetic, and no doubt helping to deliver the massive torque to the ground, the Wattman features a 240mm rear tyre and a whopping 1705mm wheelbase.
The while the range of the new machine isn’t ground-breaking in the two-wheeled EV sector, the recharge time is, with the company claiming 80% in around 30-mins from a level 2 charger. Plug it into your home supply though and it’ll take most of the day to recharge.
