Vectrix, an electric scooter and motorcycle company based in New England, hit rock bottom in 2009. After months of bad news, bad luck and bad financials, the company laid off all but essential staff in July that year.
Then things got worse. Analysis of corporate financial results showed the company listed expenses for each bike sold larger than the income earned. On September 28, 2009, the company announced a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
In late 2009 the remaining assets of Vectrix were sold to Gold Peak battery group and slowly, Vecctrix began to regroup.
The company started to rehire workers and make plans for a relaunch of its scooter line. Finally, in 2011 the company introduced two scooters and things seemed to be, at long last, back to normal.
What was lost in all of this corporate drama, however, were the plans for the company’s pet project/crowning achievement, the Vectrix superbike.
Unveiled in 2007, the Vectrix superbike had a top speed of around 125 mph, a range of about 70 miles and a quarter-mile time of about 12 seconds. At the time of its debut, Vectrix said it would put the bike into production if there was evidence of sufficient interest. Unfortunately, when the company went under the bike never had a chance – until now.
The Vectrix superbike is back. In a recent announcement the company said that the program has been re-energized to showcase the latest generation of the company’s core technologies such as battery systems, power management systems, drive trains and regenerative throttle systems.
The specs on the new bike are close to those of the old version. Vectrix says the bike will have a top speed of 125 mph. Twist the throttle all the way and you’ll hit that speed in as little as 12 seconds. For a high-powered bike, the Vectrix’s 124-mile range, aided by regenerative braking, is impressive. The bike plugs into any standard outlet and an 80 percent charge takes about 2.5 hours.
Vectrix said that they’d be accepting refundable deposits for a special limited production run of 200 to 500 Vectrix Super Bikes through July 2012. No pricing or delivery information has been released.
