Motorcycles

Volta BCN electric motorcycles make Milan debut

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Volta Motorcycles has launched its new BCN electric motorbike at EICMA in Milan - which will come in Sport, City and personalized versions
Volta Motorcycles has launched its new BCN electric motorbike at EICMA in Milan - which will come in Sport, City and personalized versions
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle - designed for urban riding
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle benefits from LED lighting throughout
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle has a maintenance-free, direct-drive belt transmission
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
Taking in the scenery with the Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
Like the BCN Sport model, the Volta BCN City electric motorcycle has a 33 bhp/25Kw DC electric motor
As its name suggests, the Volta BCN City electric motorcycle has been styled for city life
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
The rider is kept informed of remaining battery charge via a handlebar-mounted status indicator
The BCN's battery can be recharged from any 220V outlet or public charging point via an onboard charger and supplied 2 meter (6.56 foot) charging cable with a Schuko plug
The EV-1 prototype on which the BCN is based
The EV-1 prototype at a public charging point
The Volta BCN's recent photo shoot
The Volta BCNs posing for the camera
The Volta BCN out on the road for the video shoot
The Volta BCN out on the road for the video shoot
The Volta BCN out on the road for the video shoot
The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle
The Volta BCN City electric motorcycle
View gallery - 29 images

Spain's Volta Motorbikes is at the International Motorcycle Exhibition in Milan this week, to debut two varieties of its new Volta electric motorcycle. The Volta BCN is the company's first two-wheeler and the first to be designed in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, after which it is named. It's essentially one model offered in two different styles and finishes - the Sport has been designed as an urban motorbike, while the City is headed for the downtown core. These stylish sustainable mobility solutions offer a top speed of 74.5 mph (120 km/h) and a range of 43.4 miles (70 km), and will be released in Europe in Q2 of next year.

The BCN has a 33 bhp/25Kw DC electric motor that powers a maintenance-free, direct-drive belt transmission and makes 67Nm of torque - said to be roughly equivalent to a 250-to-400-cm3 fuel-driven motorbike. Its 74V/3.1 kWh Lithium Polymer battery pack can be recharged from any 220V outlet or public charging point via an onboard charger and supplied 2-meter (6.56-foot) charging cable with a schuko plug. Full recharge time is given as two hours, but partial top-ups are also possible. Volta says that after around five years of daily charging, the battery should still have 80 percent of its initial capacity.

The Volta BCN Sport electric motorcycle

The BCN's quoted top speed and range falls not a stone's throw from the current Zero S electric motorcycles, but is not quite up to the 2012 upgrades which will boast top speeds of up to 88 mph (142 km/h) and over 100 mile (160 km) range.

Both the BCN Sport and the BCN City have a seat height of 31.6 inches (805 mm), offer an upright riding position, have a "fuel tank" that's given over to storage big enough for a full-face helmet (and also complete with mobile phone charging point), and electronic throttle. Riders are kept informed of remaining charge via a handlebar-mounted status indicator, but can also wirelessly interact with a smartphone via the optional CONNECT Pack - which offers access to such things as programming and recharge time, power setting limits and eco mode driving.

The Volta motorbikes also benefit from LED lighting throughout and, of course, hydraulic disk brakes - although there's no regenerative braking at this time. The company will shortly be introducing an online customization option called My Volta, which will allow buyers to adapt the vehicle to personal tastes.

Volta Motorcycles is currently in the process of building a distribution network ahead of Q2 2012 availability. The company will initially release the BCNs in Spain, before breaking out into the international market. Both the Sport and the City carry an estimated price of EUR 7,000 (about US$9,500).

Have a look at the following video to see the Volta BCN in action:

View gallery - 29 images
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2 comments
Matt Fletcher
Very nice but I am tired of hearing about every electric cycle that is coming out. Nothing new just another cycle with no new tech. Why don\'t you write articles about every new electric vehicle (scooters, automobiles, vans) as well. You don\'t becuase it\'s boring. It\'s boring if there\'s nothing new about it. I like motorcycles as much as the next guy and like hearing about the new tech applied but there\'s nothing new here.
Jack Thompson
I was lucky enough to ride the prototype version of this bike in the Summer for Market research, it compares to a Suzuki Gladius, but is more fun, better looking and the dash was awesome too, the sound was a good laugh and the way the power came on was good too, cheers for the article Gizmag, They never told us what company it was at the time and I couldn\'t take photos. Is truely a great fun bike, with a good amount of acceleration.