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Polaris is now in the e-motorbike business after buying Brammo
Polaris has acquired e-bike maker Brammo in a deal that leaves the future of the Brammo name and its Oregon-based factory in limbo. Brammo has been building the Empulse/R and Enertia e-bikes for several years, but the models haven't changed much since they first arrived -- and the company has been discounting them drastically of late. Polaris is one of Brammo's biggest investors, but decided to "recapitalize" it and "focus exclusively on the design, development and integration of electric vehicle powertrains." Polaris also said it would "begin manufacturing electric motorcycles in the second half of 2015 at its Spirit Lake, IA facility."
Brammo expects 2013 Enertia Plus to reach US in January, puts new Empulse R on the road
Brammo hasn't always had the smoothest delivery schedules, which has us somewhat relieved that its latest generation of electric motorcycles is hitting the road in earnest. To start, the company now anticipates that the 2013 Enertia Plus should ship to the US in mid-January. That leaves one last wait for a commuter e-bike that can peak around 60MPH and last up to 75 miles on a 7.5-hour charge. Others are getting a quicker fix, in more ways than one: as of a few days ago, the 2013 Empulse R has reached a first owner in San Francisco who's more than happy with his $18,995 outlay. He can confirm both the brisk performance and a realistic range of 75 to 80 miles. Between his new ride and the Enertia Plus, it may be a good season for eco-friendly driving on two wheels.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: fun stuff!
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. The good news? We're on to the fun stuff, the gear that isn't always practical but will definitely help you let off some steam after a tough mid-term. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Laptops, phones and e-readers might be slick pieces of tech, but they'll all be used for business while you're buried in term papers during the semester. We're rounding up a set of gadgets meant purely to lift your spirits -- whether it's zapping fellow froshmates in a game of Lazer Tag or an electric motorbike to blast through the countryside on a long weekend. We've even got a few borderline sensible gadgets, such as a robot that will clean up after a wild party at the dorm. Jump past the break for our full collection of antidotes to the end-of-summer blues.
Brammo Empulse and Empulse R finally unveiled: 100-mph speeds and raised prices
Brammo has suffered some major setbacks in getting its latest Empulse electric motorcycle to market, but the company has stuck to its revised launch date: it unveiled the 2013 model last night. The key specs haven't changed during the delay -- we're still looking at a six-speed gearbox, a max speed of 100 mph and a fast-recharge time of 3.5 hours -- but the price has jumped from $14,000 to $16,995. There's also the Empluse R, a more premium model that will go on sale for $18,995 in June. The main difference between the base model and the R is the material: the Empulse has a plastic body, while the R uses carbon fiber. Check out the full presser below the break -- and if you're holding out for the 2013 Empulse, the gallery pics of the R will have to tide you over till the base model launches early next year.
Brammo's 100MPH Empulse coming May 8th, spooks electrons with six-speed gearbox
By rights, Brammo's street-fighting Empulse should have gotten here quicker, but at least we now have a firm launch date. Sporting an all-new six-speed gearbox in place of the one-speed original, Brammo's spec sheet shows a 121-mile city range (or 56 miles on the highway), 100+ MPH maximum hustle and a re-juicing time of 3.5 hours in fast-charge mode. We're not sure if the price has budged from the original $14,000 estimate, but if you want to see what that ballpark sum might get you, the video after the break is all yours.
Brammo delays flagship Empulse electric motorbike to 2012, teases new transmission tech
Bad news for Brammo's electric bikers: according to Asphalt and Rubber, word has it that the company's flagship Empulse motorbike will now be delayed to 2012, citing CEO Craig Bramscher's decision to integrate a certain new technology before launch. What could this be? Well, the site speculates that this has something to do with the six-speed Integrated Electric Transmission (IET) that Brammo recently licensed from Italian firm S.M.R.E., and this technology's already featured on the company's Engage and Encite dirt bikes announced last week. That said, there's also a rumor that Brammo didn't reach its pre-order goal of 1,000 units, which would certainly make sense for the company to delay the launch to pimp up its 100mph ride. We asked the Stig for a comment, and he wasn't impressed.
Brammo announces Engage and Encite electric motorcycles, taking it to the dirt with six speeds
When we heard that Brammo was hitting the dirt in a Las Vegas motorcross race we had horrific visions of a bright green Enertia with knobby tires struggling in the dirt, pitching its rider over the bars on the first yump it encountered. Thank goodness we can now say with confidence that is not the case. The company has announced it has not one but two new models coming, both specifically designed to handle questionable terrain. The Engage is a full-sized dirtbike, available in both motorcross (offroad) and supermoto (onroad, mostly) variants, and is just a few letters short of a beautiful marketing tie-in. It starts at $9,995 for the on or off road racing versions and then steps up to $11,995 for the street-legal SMS Super Moto, which you can see above wearing some pre-production bodywork. There's also the Encite MMX Pro, a more hardcore racing version that lacks a price. More details and a video after the break. %Gallery-122791%
Brammo taking its electric motorcycles offroad in Vegas next week, puts Zero on notice
You remember the Enertia, right -- that sweet electric motorcycle from Brammo? Well, a few years back the company slapped some dirt bike tires on this silent cycle (seen above) and taunted the world with the possibility of an Earth-friendly offroad ride. Such a creation never made it to market, sadly, but it looks like the company may finally be ready to deliver. The bike hounds over at Asphalt & Rubber were digging through the AMA MiniMoto SX supercross race list of entrants when they spotted the Brammo name... which is odd since the Oregon-based company's current vehicles are all street-only affairs. Guess Zero Motorcycles better watch its back, there may be new challenger for king of the electric dirt bike hill. We won't have to wait long to know for sure -- the Brammo team will be launching its latest creation through the muddy, hairpin turns at the South Point Arena in Vegas next week.
Brammo Empulse RR electric race bike goes screaming by at Thunderhill test (video)
We haven't heard an awful lot about the Brammo Empulse since it launched last summer, but Asphalt & Rubber managed to catch the thing doing its thing at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California. The bike and its crew were out for some testing, abbreviated tail all taped full of telemetry and spitting back data as the it quietly screamed its way around the track. The race-ready Empulse RR is getting ready for the 2011 TTXGP series for electric race bikes, where it'll be competing against the likes of the Mission R -- which hopefully will have put its fairings back on by then.
Brammo introduces the Enertia Plus electric motorcycle with double the range (video)
The Brammo Enertia has the honor of being one of the first electric motorcycles released to the public and easily available at retail, and now it's getting a heck of an upgrade. When we test-rode one last year it was a little thing with an $11,995 MSRP and a 40 mile range. Today Brammo is announcing its successor, the Enertia Plus. That bike will manage 80 miles to a charge and do so for $8,995. That's $1,000 more than the normal Enertia sells for today, though specs other than range remain the same. That means a weight of 324lbs, 30lb/ft of torque, and performance better suited to leisurely commutes than canyon carving -- though optional saddle bags (shown below) will let you do more with that extra stamina. The bike will be shipping sometime in 2011 and current Enertia owners will receive a very welcoming $2,500 rebate. You can't buy love, but that kind of treatment certainly should help with loyalty.
Brammo goes street fighting with the 100mph Empulse electric motorcycle (video)
When we took Brammo's Enertia motorcycle for a test ride last summer we found it to be a lovingly crafted and fun to ride bike that really only disappointed when it came to ultimate performance -- far closer to your average scooter than your average sportbike. Since then the company has gone racing, taking on the iconic Isle of Man as part of the all-electric TTXGP and finishing third place with a top speed of 102mph. That fully-faired bike was called the TTR, and now the company is making a naked version for you: the 100mph Empulse. Read on for full details and a little video too. %Gallery-97553%
Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle now available
The Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle -- which we took for a joyride around the streets of New York City last month -- can now be yours, as it's officially on sale. The eco-friendly bike has a horsepower rating of 13.7, with torque at 31 ft/lbs, and weighs about 280 pounds. With a top speed of about 50 miles an hour, the bike's got a 45 mile range before needing a 3 hour recharge. It's not the most powerful of motorcycles to be sure, but it's got plenty of style, and it can be yours for about $12,000. [Via Coolest Gadgets]
Engadget cruises with the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle (with videos!)
Little more than a month after getting our sweaty, gloveless mitts on the Zero Motorcycles Zero S we received an offer to ride yet another high-tech wunderbike: the Brammo Enertia. Naturally our first reaction was excitement -- excitement only slightly dampened by news that we'd again be using the gridlocked NYC streets as our test track. But, we risked life, limb, and the ire of many a taxi driver to get some impressions of the latest electric motorcycle to hit the streets, and grabbed some video action of it all too. Read on for the lot.%Gallery-65555%
Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle to be sold at Best Buy
You're already buying TVs, washing machines, cheap keyboards and cell phones at Best Buy, why not a $12,000 electric motorcycle? That seems to be the thinking going on at Brammo HQ, where an infusion of cash from Best Buy's investment arm last year has now led to plans to sell the $11,995 Enertia at five West Coast Best Buy stores in May. Okay, sure, but we're way less optimistic about plans to let the Geek Squad handle basic repairs and maintenance -- we don't let those fools near our laptops, god forbid Pimples McUpsell touch something that could actually kill us. Eventually Brammo wants to sell bikes at every Best Buy location around the world, but we'll see how this initial test works out. [Via Autoblog Green]
The Enertia electric motorbike
The electric motorbike scene is so in right now, with the fourth that we've written about in the last two months being the Brammo Enertia. The Enertia is a plug-in bike that does 0-60 MPH in under 4 seconds and can go for up to 50 miles on one charge. Brammo is an Ashland, Oregon-based manufacturer that designed and built the bike, making sure that the bike has six 12 Volt lithium-phosphate batteries -- which don't blow up when punctured, unlike Lithium Ion models. It only weighs 275 pounds too, and most of the weight is near the road because the fuel tank isn't needed. The only problem now is the price: $14,995 for the "Carbon" model, and $11,995 for a later model once production is ramped up.
