Responding to the environmental challenge, ING Renault F1 has joined hands withVectrix, the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance, zero emission electric motorcycles.

The Vectrix completely fractures any pre-conceived ideas about electric transport being slow or short-range. Its electric vehicle technology delivers rapid, clean, comfortable and attractively designed transport for commuting and recreational needs. The pioneering bikes run exclusively on battery power from its nickel metal hybrid battery and with an acceleration of 0-80km/h in 6.8 seconds and top speed of 100km/h, the Renault F1 team won’t be compromising on performance either.

Bob Bell, ING Renault F1 Team Technical Director comments, ‘As we are part of the Renault Group, we are very aware of our responsibility to make every possible effort to reduce and off-set our carbon emissions, and the Vectrix is an innovative and practical way to continue our policies. This is a great product: versatile, fast, attractive, cheap to run, and a most welcome and highly visible addition to our team at Grand Prix events.’

John Schnorr, Head of Vectrix Europe says, ‘We are very excited to be partnering with ING Renault F1 to demonstrate that electric vehicles are developed to a standard even fit for Formula One. Our bikes incorporate leading edge patented technology, such as our DAart regenerative breaking system, which is of course the equivalent to the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) – this season’s big story in motor sport technical development.’

The VX-1’s patented DAart system delivers additional range and power by capturing the energy created through the resistance produced from twisting back the throttle to slow down and brake. Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems are currently only in use in motorsport and still under development for road vehicles. The Vectrix is the first and only production road vehicle in the world to currently deploy this technology.

Vectrix

• Vectrix Corporation was established in 1996 to develop and market zero emission vehicle platform technologies focused on two-wheel applications.
• The single focus of Vectrix has been to provide clean, efficient, reliable and affordable urban transportation. Vectrix two‐wheel zero‐emission bikes are marketed to consumers and government fleets.
• Vectrix is based in Middletown, Rhode Island with a European sales and technical base in the UK and production facilities in Poland and China.

VX-1

• Engineered as an eco-friendly, powerful vehicle for commuting and recreational needs, the VX-1
• Reaches top speed of 100km/h and offers acceleration from 0‐80km/h in 6.8 seconds.
• Has an average range of 50-80km on a single charge. 80% recharge of the battery in under 2 hours from a standard plug-in socket.
• Offers minimal maintenance, simple intuitive operation and low noise.
• Features regenerative power through braking, reverse gear for ease of parking and tight spaces and onboard charger for convenient plugin battery recharging.
• Features sophisticated design efficiencies, including multifunction twist & go throttle, front and rear disk Brembo brakes, aluminium construction for weight reduction and long life and aerodynamic styling to reduce drag.
•  Weighs 234kg, has a 152cm wheelbase and 76cm seat height, sits two comfortably.
• Is extremely economical, running at just one cent per mile and the equivalent of 0.66 litres per 100km, compared with 17.2 litres per 100km for a leading SUV and 5.1 litres per 100km for a leading hybrid car. Leading petrol‐powered motorcycles and scooters run from 4.5 – 2.7 litres per 100km.

Check out these stories also:

1. Yamaha launches new EC-03 electric scooter in Japan
2. Maruti Suzuki launches SX4 Hybrid and Eeco Charge Electric concepts for demonstration
3. Nissan unveils Leaf, zero-emission electric car
4. Nissan teams up with LeasePlan to take electric Nissan LEAF to the road
5. Nissan LEAF debuts in Japan, to hit world market by 2012

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