Mission Motors Mission One: the fastest production electric motorcycle in the world
Maverick - Feb 9, 2009

 

Forrest North first dreamed of building an electric motorcycle when leading the Stanford University Solar Car Team in 1998. Seven years later, he joined Tesla Motors working with many of his old Solar Car teammates. Tesla had a simple vision: build an electric sports car without compromised performance. By using lithium-ion batteries that were lighter and cheaper, the Tesla Roadster changed the meaning of electric cars. Tesla's vision for electric cars paralleled Forrest's dream of making an electric motorcycle that rivaled the best gasoline bikes in the world.

 

Forrest enlisted the help of friends Edward West and Mason Cabot. Edward was a friend from the Yale College Solar Racing team, and was finishing his MBA in Sustainable Management at the Presidio School of Management. Mason was an electronics guru with 10 years of experience at Intel, and had recently taken up motorcycling on Forrest's recommendation.

 

The three founders began building the vision for a new type of Motorcycle Company and specifically Mission One with the help of design engineer, Yves Behar.

 

According to Behar; "Riding the wind", was one of the expressions we used early imagining how it will feel to ride the Mission One. So, how does "riding the wind" get expressed in the design? First what drives our design is engineering which allows what is absent from traditional motorcycles, and what is new to create unique design features.

 

                               

What is absent? No gas-tank and no tail pipe. The top portion of the motorcycle is an iconic continuous line that brings together comfort and performance: the rider's chest is cradled in a convex tank area allowing a lower position, the seat and tail-light integrated into one lightweight dynamic line.

 

What is new? A battery pack enclosed in a lightweight aluminum structure, covered by honeycombed detailed angular skins that integrate all mechanical elements: from the flush front headlight, to the aerodynamic leg recessed cuts. Designed to express speed and efficiency in its overall sharp lines, the Mission bike also is highly detailed with special attention to a riders needs, bringing a high level of product design and ergonomics to a new generation of performance transportation.

 

 

·         Lithium Ion Batteries: Mission motorcycles use the most energy dense lithium-ion batteries available on the market. Most vehicle manufacturers opt for lower energy cells that are simpler to manage, but result in vehicles with limited performance and limited range. The high-energy lithium-ion cells in a Mission Motorcycle results in 150 miles of range. Meanwhile, Mission Motor’s patented battery cooling and management technologies allow the Mission One to safely draw more power from these cells, giving them the acceleration of a race bike.  

 

·         High Performance Electric Motor: Mission motorcycles' induction motor provides over 100 foot-pounds of torque. Unlike an engine, however, the torque curve on our electric is completely flat. The rider feels 100 foot-pounds of torque at a standstill, at 60 mph, and everywhere in between. Gasoline motorcycles require multiple gears in order to provide power at different speeds. The torque curve produced by Mission One’s electric motor means the motorcycle can achieve gasoline sportbike performance with no gears. And all that power comes in a package about the size of a soccer ball.

 

·         Technology Meets Speed: Mission Motors uses technology to build a smarter ride. On a Mission Motorcycle, the onboard computer does more than run the bike. It comes fully equipped with data acquisition system and wireless communication capabilities. On a Mission Motorcycle, riders can capture ride data in real time and wirelessly download that data to a computer to share with friends. Gone are the days of tuning your engine with a wrench. On a Mission Motorcycle, you tune your ride in minutes with your laptop computer.

 

·         100% Torque without Shifting:  On a motorcycle, torque is a visceral feeling. It is the rush of powering out of a curve with your knee sliding on the ground. It is the pull in your gut when you are coming off the line at full throttle. On gasoline bikes, torque means shifting gears, matching speeds, and dropping the clutch. On the Mission One, there is no clutch. There are no gears. There is just 100 foot-pounds of torque, available anywhere between 0 and 60 mph.

 

·         Top Line Components:  Mission complimented its groundbreaking powertrain with the best components money can buy. The Mission One is a superbike in all aspects of the word. The 2010 model comes equipped with: Ohlin’s inverted front forks, 43mm TiN coated tubes, Ohlin’s fully adjustable shock, Brembo 4 piston monobloc calipers, Marchesini wheels, and race compound tires.

 

·         Regenerative Braking: Mission One recaptures the kinetic energy of the motorcycle during braking and turns it into electrical energy stored in the batteries. By recapturing energy, the Mission One goes further on a single charge. The Mission One also allows riders to tune their regenerative braking to fit with their riding style.

 

·         Recharge Anywhere: The Mission One's onboard charger allows riders to recharge from any standard wall socket. Recharging from empty to full takes 2.5 hours off of a 220V outlet (8 hours off of an 110V). In California, which has the 11th highest electricity prices in the US, "filling up" your bike only costs you $1.96.

 

                               

 

 

·         Real Time Data Acquisition: The Mission One's data acquisition feature allows riders to capture ride data in real time. Riders can record ride data, such as speed, location, or lean angle; or bike data, such as motor current, battery voltage, or efficiency. Riders can take that data to their computer to analyze their performance, brag to other riders, or prepare for their next ride.

 

·         Wireless Enabled: The Mission One is the first wireless enabled motorcycle. It introduces riders to a new way of connecting to their motorcycle. When going to work on their bike, a Mission One rider will take a computer more often than a wrench. Riders will be able to download ride data, check bike status, and update bike settings in a matter of seconds through a seamless user interface.

 

·         Low Maintenance Costs: The Mission One lacks a combustion engine. That means no oil changes, no gaskets, no timing belts, no valve replacements, or spark plugs. The list goes on. The Mission One powertrain will cost less to maintain than any comparable gasoline sportbike. The battery pack on the Mission One is modular, allowing for individual sections to be replaced if they fail.

 

 

Powertrain:

·         Battery Pack - High Energy Lithium-Ion w/ Integrated Thermal Management System

·         Motor - Liquid-cooled, 3-phase AC Induction

·         Torque - 100 lb-ft @ 0 to 6,500 rpm

·         Transmission - Single speed

 

Chassis:

·         Suspension/Front - Ohlins 43mm inverted fork; fully adjustable, 4.5-in travel

·         Suspension/Rear - Ohlins Single shock w/piggyback reservoir; fully adjustable, 4.5-in travel

·         Brakes/Front - Dual Brembo 310mm disc; Brembo radial-mount forged 4-piston calipers

·         Brakes/Rear - Brembo 220mm disc; single-piston caliper

·         Wheels/Tires/Front - Marchesini forged aluminum 3.5" x 17", 120/70ZR17 - race Compound

·         Wheels/Tires/Rear - Marchesini forged aluminum 6.0"x17", 190/55ZR17 - race Compound

 

Target Performance:

·         Top Speed - 150mph

·         Range - 150 miles per charge (est. EPA drive cycle)

·         Recharge Time - Under 2 Hours @ 240V (8 Hours @ 120V)

·         Interactive Feature - Adjustable regenerative rear wheel braking

·         Interactive Feature - Intuitive / adjustable data acquisition system

 

Click here for more details about production and pricing of the Mission One Electric Motorcycle which is planned for 2010. 

 

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