Mission Motors reveals race-ready Mission R

The Mission R cut a seductive silhouette in a teaser shot from Mission Motors that presaged its arrival. Now, with its public debut scheduled for later today at the Long Beach International Motorcycle Show, the lights have come up and the bike is rather awe-inspiring. As we take it in details, from its front Brembo brakes to its rear single-sided swingarm, we are indeed smitten.

Newly developed MissionEVT components have been intelligently integrated into a compact James Parker-conceived chassis, then dressed in a design of grace and aggression by Tim Prentice of Motonium. The result is an electric race bike that's smaller than a typical 600cc MotoGP machine, yet it holds a massive 14.4 kWh battery beneath its carbon fiber skin. You might not guess this creature weighs a significant 545 pounds (247.2 kg), and though we've yet to see it dance through the esses, we're hoping its movements will conceal this fact as well.

To push the package along, the liquid-cooled AC motor pumps out 141 horses with 115 pound-feet of twist on tap from 0 to 6500 RPM. Top speed hasn't been determined yet (it will only visit the track sometime after the calender flips to 2011), but the company expects it will easily see 160 miles per hour.

We will have the opportunity to see how the Mission R compares with its peers later in the new year when it competes in the TTXGP North American Championship. The factory team has a lot to prove after sitting out the 2010 season, but this certainly looks promising. The official press release and complete specifications await past the break.

[Source: Mission Motors]

PRESS RELEASE


Mission Motors Unveils Mission R Electric Racing Superbike

New factory racer features latest MissionEVT technology, will race in TTXGP

Long Beach, California -- December 17th, 2010 -- Today at the Long Beach International Motorcycle Show, Mission Motors unveiled the Mission R, the company's new electric racing superbike. Featuring the company's latest powertrain technology and an entirely new race-ready design, the motorcycle will lead the company's upcoming 2011 racing program.

"We are excited to announce the Mission R, our compact and powerful factory electric racebike," said Mission Motors' Founder Edward West. "This bike represents the culmination of all the company's learning in both electric powertrains and motorcycle engineering."

The Mission R features the latest components from MissionEVT, the EV powertrain technology arm of Mission Motors. MissionEVT components are powerful, intelligent, and efficient. The Mission R packs 14.4 kWh and 141 horsepower in a package smaller than a modern 600cc sportbike. The liquid-cooled 3-phase AC Induction motor creates 115 ft-lbs of torque at the crank from 0 to 6400 RPM, propelling the Mission R to a top speed of over 160mph in a singe gear. The MissionEVT 100kW motor controller, with customizable regenerative braking maps and throttle maps, allows the rider to tune the bike to his or her preferences.

The Mission R chassis, designed by James Parker, features an entirely new design for integrating and balancing the weight and volume of a large EV battery pack into a motorcycle chassis. The chassis is wrapped in a new and aerodynamic industrial design by Tim Prentice of Motonium, with a small frontal-area and aggressive ergonomics.

The Mission R will hit the track in early 2011 and will compete in the TTXGP racing series along with other races, events, and demonstrations.

"Racing is in our DNA," West said. "Mission Motors participated in the historic first Isle of Man TTXGP in 2009. Later that year, we went to the Bonneville Salt Flats and set an AMA Speed Record for electric motorcycles in 2009. With the help of our sponsors, including Texas Instruments and Pectel/Cosworth, we are excited to be returning to the track in 2011 with the phenomenal Mission R. The crucible of the racing circuit is one of the key ways we advance our technology. Pushing the envelope for what is possible with electric drive shapes not only the future of motorsports, but the future of transportation."

Learn more about Mission Motors and the Mission R at http://RideMission.com.

About Mission Motors
Mission Motors is an electric vehicle company creating the most advanced production electric motorcycle in the world while developing leading EV powertrain technology through its MissionEVT division. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company's elite team of engineers draw from expertise in the powersports, automotive, robotics, battery and software industries to develop technologies that maximize the potential of the electric drivetrain. The concept is simple: Redefine the world of electric vehicle performance.


Mission R Specifications

Motor
141 horsepower liquid-cooled 3-phase AC induction

Torque
Crank: 115 ft-lb (0 – 6400RPM)

Top Speed
160+ mph

Energy Storage
• MissionEVT battery modules with integrated Battery Management System
• Carbon fiber casing with dielectric liner
• Swappable architecture
• 14.4 kWh total energy storage

Power Control:
MissionEVT 100kW controller with integrated Vehicle Management System
• Adjustable throttle mapping
• Regenerative braking
• WiFi & 3G data connectivity

Transmission
Single speed, gear-driven primary reduction

Chassis
RADD-designed Quad-Element Frame
• Billet aluminum and
• Chrome-moly
• Power-Unit as fully-stressed member
• Battery box as semi-stressed member

Front Suspension
• Öhlins FGR-000 TTX25 Gas Charged Fork
• Adjustment for preload, ride height, high and low speed compression and
rebound

Rear Suspension
• Single-sided billet aluminum swingarm with linear wheelbase/chain adjustment
• Öhlins TTX36 Shock and progressive linkage system
• Adjustment for preload, ride height, high and low speed compression and rebound

Wheels
Marchesini forged magnesium 10-spoke.
• Front: 17" x 3.5"
• Rear: 17" X 6"

Front Brake
• 2 Brembo 320 mm narrow-band racing stainless rotors
• 2 Brembo 2-piece billet 4-piston 30/34 mm differential bore radial-mount calipers

Rear Brake
• 245 mm stainless rotor
• Brembo HPK 2-piston 34 mm caliper