"By Odin we'd love to ride it." That's what we said when we first came across the outrageous Sora electric motorcycle, and it looks like that wish could now come true. Lito Green Motion, the Canadian company behind the Sora, has announced the official start of production for the battery-powered streetfighter.
The specs listed for the production version of the Sora don't quite match up to those floated when the bike was at concept stage, but in the main they come very close, and still add up to an impressive set of performance figures.
Driven by a liquid-cooled 3-phase AC induction motor and deriving power from 12 kWh lithium-polymer battery modules, the Sora has a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph) and produces 90 Nm (66.37 ft-lb) from the get go.
Lito has developed a power management system with three control modes – performance, normal and safe range. The latter enables the rider to plug in a destination and manages the amount of energy required to ensure don't get stranded in transit. This feature isn't totally unfettered of course – the company states a maximum range of 100 km (62 mi) on the highway and more than 200 km (124 mi) in urban environments, which falls short of the 300 km (185 mi) range originally envisioned, but should still prove ample for the majority of riders. When the battery indicator does dwindle away, you can expect to wait nine hours for a full recharge.
A carbon fiber fairing and aluminum chassis help to reduce weight, but with all that battery grunt in tow the bike still comes in at a rather hefty 260 kg (573.2 lbs.)
There's also some interesting new technology on board, including an integrated GPS and touchscreen mounted on the tank, along with a compartment that allows you to store and recharge your mobile phone. The bike is also designed to cater for those of stockier (and lankier) stature via the "world's first ever electric motorbike seat" which allows the rider to adjust the seat height, even when the bike is in motion.
When we first looked at the Sora we also made the point that it's not likely to come cheap ... and it isn't. Prices start at CAD$46,399 (approximately US$42K at the time of writing).
Lito is set to show the Sora in a World premiere at the Montreal Motorcycle show later this month. It will be produced in Longueuil, Quebec.
Product page: Lito Green Motion
Ed's note: this story was amended on May 5, 2014 to correct an error in the range specifications. The correct maximum range 100 km (62 mi) on the highway and 200 km (124 mi) in the city. We apologize for this error.
