Uckfield-based Weald Technology has been awarded a grant to develop the world’s fastest electric motorcycle.
The Technology Strategy Board grant, awarded through the Motorsport Valley Launchpad, encourages small companies involved in motorsport to collaborate and develop low-carbon or lightweight products which have uses in other industry sectors.
Weald Technology Ltd is working with Gem MC Ltd and Lyra Electronics Ltd and will use the project to demonstrate its innovative electric motor, targeting applications in rail, heavy-goods, and military vehicles.
Having designed and built the UK’s quickest electric motorcycle in 2011, the team at Weald has been planning this super-fast machine for two years, and the grant is the catalyst they’ve been seeking to get it under way.
Phil Edwards, managing director of Weald, says: “This is fantastic news. We’ve been trying to get this project off the ground for a long time; the grant adds credibility and will help us secure the additional funds.”
The world-beating motorcycle will also be used to showcase how the UK leads the world in automotive, motorsport, and low-carbon engineering. Phil is a STEM Ambassador in Sussex, working with local schools to promote STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
He added: “This motorcycle really grabs attention and shows some of the exciting work that technology companies are involved in. There are fantastic careers available, and anyone keen to pursue these subjects will be welcomed by an industry which is desperate to recruit and train more people.”
The project will kick off in 2014 once the team has raised its share of the costs. It is seeking investors and sponsors keen to get involved in breaking records and developing future transport.