Electric vehicles have long suffered a bad reputation in the hardcore and uber-competitive motorsports world.
In truth, some electric vehicles probably deserve the bad rap, with EVs like the Toyota Prius and others offering very little in the way of performance or style. Of course, there are a number of EVs such as the Tesla Roadster that attempt to make up for the overall lack of cool, but are not exactly considered mainstream.
Then again, some of the newer sporty EVs are often as fast as or even faster than their gasoline-powered counterparts, as the torque generated by the electric motor is available as soon as one hits the throttle.
In contrast, a gasoline-powered engine has to build to its torque peak for optimum performance.
The advantages of the EV approach are obvious in the video above. Yes, a new electric vehicle, or more precisely an electric motorcycle has been spied doing the obligatory rounds on the drag strip.
As you can see, the drag bike boasts a massive wheelie bar and a gigantic rear tire to maintain contact with the road under the brutal power output from the electric drivetrain. The wild man decked out in Spiderman livery perched on the back of the stretched-out drag bike is Shawn Lawless.
The bike is equipped with a 14.2kWh battery pack and what seems to be a gigantic electric motor. Will it run? Check out the video to see Shawn and his bike go 201 mph at 6.94 seconds in the quarter-mile. I can only imagine this as one insane ride at that speed – with the front wheel off the ground, holding on for dear life. Check out the video and see the run for yourself.
