A San Francisco startup is on a mission to give the world motorcycles that are fast and sexy, yet green.
Mission Motors hopes to produce the fastest all-electric powered production motorcycle, capable of topping out at 150 mph.
Despite the luxury $68,000 price, company co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Forrest North believes Mission One will draw the attention of motorcycle aficionados because it offers a different riding experience.
"Consumers want performance," North said. "We're not trying to offer something that's a compromise to people, (that) you have to change your lifestyle to green. We're saying this is more exciting than the last motorcycle you had, and it's green."
The Mission One resembles a standard sport bike, but instead of gas, it runs on lithium ion batteries. It's being built from the ground up with sustainable components, North said.
The bike is designed to travel 150 miles on one charge and recharge quickly. It's designed for urban commuters and weekend riders, North said.
"They're fun to drive around the city, they're fun to drive around canyons," North said. "It's not something you'd take on a thousand-mile trip."
The 2-year-old firm is following the lead of Tesla Motors, the San Carlos company that has received attention - and $465 million in federal funds - to build a sleek, high-priced all-electric sports car. North and two of his executives used to work for Tesla.
Mission Motors was one of 11 teams from six countries to compete in June in the first zero-emissions motorcycle race, part of the prestigious Isle of Man motorcycle event in the United Kingdom. Although Mission finished fourth in its division, the company gained months' worth of research data during the event.
An entry from Electric Motorsport of Oakland won its division, earning the distinction of being the first American team to win an Isle of Man event since 1911. The firm sells about 200 electric motorcycles and scooters a year, including an $8,500 commuter cycle with a 60-mile range.
"We're more interested in the mass market," said Electric Motorsport founder Todd Kollin. "If the price is too high, they become luxury items as opposed to consumer items."
Although Mission Motors has grabbed the limelight, "part of their business is selling sizzle and excitement, which is great for us," Kollin said. "Eventually, people are going to get hungry and want the steak."
Another competitor, Zero Motorcycles of Santa Cruz, introduced a high-performance street bike in April. The $9,500 Zero S has a range of 60 miles.
"Even at $10,000, that's still quite a lot for what people want to spend for a motorcycle," said Zero founder Neal Saiki. "We want to be the Ford of electric vehicles. Mission Motors will take so long to develop a motorcycle, they'll probably miss the market entirely."
But North said Mission Motors' plan is to start by marketing the best technology money can buy and eventually produce cheaper bikes.
"We have a road map to be able to produce a $15,000 motorcycle," North said.
Sharing the road
In California, motorcycles account for:
-- 3.3% of all vehicles
-- 0.8% of vehicle miles traveled each day
-- 8.1% of smog-forming emissions from vehicles
