150mph electric superbike put through its paces in Italy

Electric bike-builder Energica is working flat out to produce a second prototype of its Ego superbike to display at EICMA Milan Show (5-10 November). The company is looking for dealers and importers worldwide.
Energica, a subsidiary of Italian company CRP, long-established suppliers of high-spec, hi-tech, bespoke parts to Formula 1 race teams, was created three years ago with the aim of producing a road-legal electric superbike.
The Italians used their wide experience of car and bike racing – and, in particular, two seasons of racing in the TTXGP electric road race series, founded by Brit Azhar Hussain – to design the new machine.
With rider Alessandro Branetti at the controls, CRP won the European championship in 2010 and was runner-up in the world championship in 2011.
Headed by Livia Cevolini, grand-daughter of the CRP company founder, Energica showed a mock-up of the proposed machine at the 2011 Milan show. Two years on, it recently let a select group of journalists ride the latest prototype, now called the Ego, on the scenic roads of Tuscany. BDN contributor Paul Blezard, the only British journalist invited, says the power was very controllable and the regen braking, available through the motor, very reassuring.
Energica has developed its own oil-cooled, PMAC brushless electric motor producing 134bhp  with a massive195Nm (144ftlb) of torque available from zero rpm. Claimed top speed of the 258kg machine is 240kph (149mph). Production bikes are scheduled to go on sale in 2015.
www.energicasuperbike.com