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Mission Motors Unveils the Tesla Roadster of Motorcycles review

Mission Motors Unveils the Tesla Roadster of Motorcycles review
Mission Motors Unveils the Tesla Roadster of Motorcycles

The new Mission One electric motorcycle from San Francisco startup Mission Motors, unveiled in prototype today at TED 2009 in Long Beach, Calif., maxes out at 150 mph without an ounce of gas or puff of tailpipe exhaust. This comes on the heels of reports that Yamaha and Honda plan to launch battery-powered electric motorcycles aimed at rivaling today’s gas-powered bikes in 2010 and 2011, respectively. But while Honda wants to hit the mass market with a low-cost, long-distance option, Mission Motors is aiming for the high-end performance market with its lithium-ion battery-powered motorcycle — much like Tesla Motors with its luxury electric sports car, the Roadster.
“With the Mission One, we’re writing the next chapter in motorcycle design, delivering a new riding experience without sacrificing performance or design in a zero emissions vehicle,” Mission Motors founder and CEO (and former Tesla engineer) Forrest North said in a release today.
Now, if the company can deliver on its claims that the bike will go 150 miles on a two-hour charge — and make it to production, a painfully thorny phase for Tesla — then let the oohs and aahs begin.
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