16 AMERICANWAY
JANUARY 1 2009
A U T O M O T I V E
PULLUPTO a stoplight on aVec-
trix electricmotorcycle, and you’ll
get a few curious looks. You could
act likeMarlonBrando in
TheWild
One
andpretend you’re rebelling
against the establishment and the
world. But you’re reallymore like Ed
Begley Jr., protesting a petroleum-
based economy. No gas, no oil, no
noise, zero emissions—who’s the
real rebel here? Turns out you are,
bro!
Ten years in the planning, the
Vectrix claims tobe theworld’s first
in-production electric vehicle, pow-
ered completely by a nickel-metal
hydride battery. The design is sleek,
and the specs are impressive: 0 to
50 in6.8 seconds and a top speed
of 62mph. Special regenerative
braking actually helps charge the
battery on the go, andmaintenance
isminimal. The downside?You can’t
rev the throttle or burn rubber. But
you can “head out on the highway,”
as the oldSteppenwolf songgoes,
with a range of up to55miles.
Nearly 200global dealers
provide sales and service, and
the sticker price of $11,000 is
discounted through tax credits
in states such as California and
Georgia. Police departments around
theworld have already switched to
Vectrix, andmany gasolinemotor-
cycle owners are buying electric as
a second and third vehicle.
Besides the obvious environ-
mental benefits, riding an electric
motorbike is also a lifestyle choice.
“Everyone is concerned about the
oil we use and the pollutantswe
put into the atmosphere,” Vectrix
CEOMichael Boyle says. “People
aremaking a statement that they
want that to change.” (401) 848-
9993,
— JackBoulware
Two-Wheeled
GreenThunder
BorntoBeMild:
TheVectrix
TestDrive
TEST DRIVE PROVIDER
ScuderiaWestMotorcycles/
SanFrancisco
MODEL
VectrixVX-1
COLOR
Forest green
MOTOR
BrushlessDC, radial air-gap
WEIGHT
515poundswithout driver
HELMET
Borrowed
ROUTE
City streets, US 101 and I-80
freeways, and one sidewalk
NOISE
Weirdly silent
TOP SPEED
102 kmh/63.37mph
BEATING CARS AT
THE STOPLIGHT
No problem
REGENERATIVE BRAKES
A very cool invention
BATTERY
Used45percent in20minutes
ABILITY TOWEAVE
BETWEEN CARS
Excellent (although not
recommended)
