KTM has announced plans to produce the Speed scooter concept it showed at Tokyo this year as the E-SPEED. Based on the FREERIDE E electric drivetrain, the production version of the E-SPEED is expected to deliver a performance profile similar to a 125cc gas-powered scooter. At nearly 15 hp, the output of the E-SPEED should be well suited to urban riding, especially given its top speed of just under 55 mph. That puts it in Stella or Symba territory performance wise. Take a close look at the front rotor and you’ll see an ABS ring. Will this make it to production? While no mention of range was given, the 4.36kWh battery is said to charge in as little as two hours on 220v of wall power.

Most larger electrics give the performance of a 150cc gas-powered scooter in the form factor of a 650. Meanwhile the electric scooters actually sized like 150s give a performance output that’s shamed by many 50cc gas-powered bikes.

Some of the most compelling designs are also the most simple, and stripped down, bones-showing vehicles certainly grab our attention. The ATX 8080 from Austin Electric Powersports is one such exoskeletal head-turning effort. Almost halfway through its life-giving Kickstarter campaign, it’s also approaching the halfway mark to being a funded reality.

With a look reminiscent of the Honda Ruckus, this electric scooter pushes past the 49-cc limits of that Japanese gas burner, requiring riders to possess a motorcycle endorsement. In return for that bit of red tape, this totally tubular two-wheeler takes you from traffic-cone status to viable commuter, with an 80-kph (50-mile per hour) top speed and 80-kilometer (50 miles) range (hence, its 8080 nomenclature).

The heart of this battery-powered beast is the “oneDrive” system from KLD Energy, which is the progenitor of this project. This patented power unit is a low-voltage, high-frequency, hub motor design that said to be good for 147.5 pound-feet of torque (no kW rating is given). From a performance perspective, this translates to 0-to-25 mph in 3.2 seconds, and 0-to-50 mph in 9.4.

Speaking of batteries, the ATX 8080 uses Samsung-sourced cells – good for 90,000 km (55,923 miles) of riding – to create a somewhat ponderous 33-kg (72.75-lb) 3.14 kWh box. Charge time to 80 percent is two hours, through any household socket. It will need to stay plugged in twice as long to completely top it off, though.

The price offered through the Kickstarter campaign is $5,250, or a matching set for $10,000 even. If you just want to offer support, they have some interesting rewards, such as a three-day pass to the 2016 Moto GP event and/or a weekend pass to the Austin City Limits Music Festival. You can keep up with the ATX 8080 over on its Facebook page, and if you haven’t already, check out the video above to get the whole pitch and see the scooter in action.

To many, electric cars are a completely new thing. However, they actually have a long history in the United States. For some time, they were the top dog. However, due to battery limitations many decades ago, they got replaced with gasmobiles.

In 1914 a Detroit Electric went 241 miles and top speed of 25mph on a single charge!!!

With recent advancements, electric cars are back. But it’s important… Continue reading →

This year, the summer has been extremely hot in India. Phalodi in Rajasthan, for example, recorded a temperature of 51°C – the highest ever recorded in India. Many states, such as Maharashtra, were hit by a severe drought and drinking water had to be transported through ‘water trains’. This crisis has led to renewed efforts to search for better methods to conserve water.

Rainwater harvesting is one… Continue reading →

The Railway ministry will soon launch a mobile application for booking battery-operated cars for station premises in an attempt to help old and differently-abled passengers needing assistance.

The dedicated mobile application will help users book battery-operated cars. The booking facility will also be available on IRCTC e-ticketing website and 139.

Continue reading →

Both e-cycles & e-scooters/e-motorcycles with speed below 25kmph and around 250V motor are automatically exempted from requiring ARAI approval. This is the biggest advantage of these category of bikes and they do not need any license, insurance or permits to ride. This cuts out a lot of red tape.

This is the best sector for Startups to enter this sector. This sector is also great for the customer as he does not need licence, insurance or any kind of permits and this is very easy to handle bike for running errands  baji or routine shopping or even picking up kids from schools. As there is enough income for the manufacturers that this sector has the most boringly designed cycles, scooters and motorcycles.

Doodwala cycle… at least they had bigger wheels 😦

Most manufacturers say they are making the… Continue reading →

Indian Railways has started the work of turning garbage into gold… not exactly gold but a resource more important and valuable than gold… creating Methane from garbage.

Garbage will be collected from 12 stations, including Amritsar, Ambala, Haridwar, Jammu, Katra, Dehradun, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai Central and Dadar

Eager to generate non-fare revenue from various sources, Railways is firming up proposals to sell the garbage generated at stations across the country.

“We are examining a proposal from a waste… Continue reading →

How far does your food come from? Does the miles in your food add to climate change? Are you eating food that cannot be made in your kitchen? Is your food made by killing a herbivore? If the answer to even one of the question is “YES” then YOU ARE ADDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE.