The wild Energica Ego wins the Electric Motorcycle of the Year at Motorcycle News. And you thought the electric motorcycle was snoozing…
Energica Ego Awarded Electric Motorcycle of the Year
When Energica approached us a few years ago, we wondered about the company. It turns out the company has a lot of experience with Formula One racing and carbon fiber. A subsidiary of CRP Group, we wondered, how can they make a motorcycle, let alone an electric one? It turned out to be a fun and wildly powerful Ego they showed us in southern California cafe parking lot. The bike felt heavy, as with any powerful electric motorcycle but the performance was wild. In many ways, it reminded us of Richar Hatfield’s equally wild LS-218. I never tire of saying it, but Richard told a few years ago no one had managed to keep that throttle open wide for over a second and a half.
In fact, Energica Motor Company, headquartered in historic Modena, Italy, is a sustainable company. It brought together bright Formula 1 racing and other highly qualified engineers to work on its electric motorcycles.
From Formula 1 to Electric Motorcycles
Tapping into the CRP group means Energica has access to state-of-the-art technology and consulting. CRP supplies high-performance automotive engineering, rapid prototyping, and advanced manufacturing for over 45 years.
After World War II, Roberto Cevolini’s father Salavatore learned from his father and started his own company focusing on producing Formula 1 components. But in 1996, his son Franco formed CRP Technologies and developed casting systems while dabbling in 3d printing, a brand new process. His claim to success is having invented the Windform material.
In 2003, CRP Technology merged with his father’s company and by 2006 CRP Racing was created. CRP USA followed in 2008 and CRP Meccanica joined the group. This is how Energica Motor Company started and eventually gave us the Ego and her ever-so milder sister Eva.
As you would expect, performance comes at a price, and both e-bikes start at $24,900.
Motorcycle News Names The Energica Ego 2017 Best Electric Bike
If ten years ago you would have told us a traditional motorcycle news outlet would name an electric motorcycle we would have been happy but surprised nonetheless. So when Motorcycle News named the Energica Ego 2017 Best Electric Bike of the Year, we were indeed happy.
Does this mean electric vehicles (EV) are now an accepted part of modern day news? It certainly seems like it when even once EV-naysayer Jalopnik and other outlets look at this new drivetrain in a different light.
Of course, the news was the results of this year’s 2017 TT Zero impressive record where the Ego finished seventh and became the first production electric bike to lap the famous 37¾-mile track. It reached the finish line with 17% battery left clocking in at 100.47 mph!
With a 0-60 time of less than three seconds and weighing 617.29 lb (280kg), electric motorcycles might be heavy but an electric motor nullifies most of that extra weight. With instantaneous torque, it’s easier to bring it out of a curb than with an internal combustion engine (ICE) that needs to climb back up in revs before delivering its potential.
The Energica Ego
As we mentioned above, the 0 to 60 time is impressive, and Energica uses 43 mm Marzocchi suspension, Brembo brakes, a reverse gear, and ABS to keep it on the road. There is also a mouth-watering limited example (45-unit only) sporting a fast-charging system, OZ wheels, Öhlins suspension, and carbon fiber bodywork. The Ego gives you 80 to 120 miles of range.
And remember those EV naysayers? You can always say the Energica Ego has twice the torque of a superbike from zero revs to 4700rpm. And for motorcycle aficionados, it has the same horsepower as a GSX-R750.
The new Energica will be the Eva EsseEsse9 and will be available by 2018.
The Day Electric Motorcycles Get Awarded By Traditional Magazines
You can follow the company on Facebook, Google +, Instagram, Twitter, as well as YouTube.
It’s been a wild ride, pun intended, with EVs being ridiculed and mocked a decade ago, to putting 21 seconds in from the best Ducatis in 2013 at Pikes Peak to now the Energica Ego awarded Best Electric Motorcycle of the Year.
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