Tag Archives: Voxan Wattman

WMC’s New SuperBike Bullet Houses a Huge Air Duct

The big reveal is here!

WMC has just given us the WMC250EV – and she has a hole running right through her. 

After sneak-peeking the bike to us earlier in the month (we covered the story on June 18), White Motorcycle Concepts revealed the electric machine virtually on their Youtube platform, following the removal of their attendance from an event in Silverstone due to ongoing restrictions.

The concept of using the body of a bike as a giant aerodynamic duct was clever – and is the main reason why the company can continue to boast up to a 70% reduction in air resistance.

the air duct of the WMC250EV

The staggering improvement in aerodynamics was also made more feasible by electric powertrains, which have more flexibility of shape and size than the conventional fossil-powered motorcycle.

Regardless, WMC is right to be excited, as no one else has been able to come close to this jump in efficiency for the motorcycle industry – let alone the racetrack. 

According to a report from TopGear, The airflow through the duct of the WMC250EV’s framework will help the bike dig into the pavement, increasing friction and keeping the bike stable at high speeds.

The bike’s weight is also a huge factor, clocking in at a gargantuan 300kg – but WMC isn’t worried about the weight.

“We’ve removed any blockage from duct entry – and in doing so, we’ve managed to pull together a new hub-center-steered assembly for the front that encompasses two motors for two-wheeled drive and regenerative energy possibilities,” says Robert White, CEO and Founder of White Motorcycle Concepts.  

preliminary technical image for WMC's 250EV
A technical image of WMC’s 250EV

“As a result, those studies have enabled us to load front and rear wheels to a level that isn’t seen on a conventionally forked motorcycle  – [let alone] a motorcycle with a fast channel of air moving through the center.”

William Jock Ross Teo

The WMC250EV measures 2.44 meters (8 feet) in length, 1.19 meters (3.9 feet) in height, and is purported to have 5 times more load on the front axle than a conventional motorcycle.

The upper portion of the air duct also appears to be carbon fiber, showing further proof that the WMC250EV has been tinkered with from multiple angles to guarantee maximum efficiency. 

a view from above of the 250EV from WMC
WMC250EV at Silverstone

Robert White still has his eyes on the prize and expects his WMC250EV to break 400km/h for the World Land Speed Record…though all he has to do is deliver slightly over the current 366.94 km/h (228 mi/h) record set by Max Biaggi aboard the Voxan Wattman, to emerge victorious. 

Bottom line, WMC is ready to set records across the industry – and we can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Check out the photo gallery below for more photos on the WMC250EV.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Fastest electric motorcycle challenge

In 2013, French bespoke motorcycle company Voxan unveiled the Wattman which was then the world’s fastest and most powerful electric motorcycle.

The Voxan Wattman had a 150kW (200hp) motor capable of a 170km/h top speed and 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.4 seconds which was faster than a Porsche 911.

However, it did not retain its title for long.

A year later, along came the 150kW Lightning LS-218, so named because it had a top speed of 218mph (346km/h).

Lightning LS-218Lightning LS-218

That’s also the world’s fastest road-registrable production motorcycle, eclipsing the Kawasaki H2 supercharged bike with a top speed of 337km/h.

Kawasaki H2 paintKawasaki H2

Fastest electric challenge

Now Voxan has built a performance version of the Wattman which will be unveiled on Wednesday (1 July 2020) on social media and their website.

The performance Wattman took to the track for the first time on 12 March 2020, but testing was interrupted by the COVD-19 crisis.

Testing recommenced in Monaco on 4 May when the lockdown was lifted in the principality.

Voxan Wattman fastestWattman gets an aerodynamic streamliner fairing

It will challenge Lightning’s speed record on the Salar de Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia in July 2021.

Tech specs have not yet been revealed, but the original has a 12.8kWh battery that can fully re-charged in 30 minutes and have 180km of range.

Voxan Wattman fastestTech specs coming on Wednesday

Wattman is the product of a joint venture between boutique French manufacturer Voxan Motorcycles and formerly bankrupt electric sports car company Venturi.

Voxan started making the Wattman in 2014 at the Solesmes Electric Vehicle Manufacture plant in Sarthe, near the famous Le Mans circuit. The plant is “super-green” as it is run totally on “clean energy”.

In 1999, Voxan started making small numbers of motorcycles with a 996cc V-twin petrol engine.

Venturi is a manufacturer of electric sports cars called Fetish and Voltage.

Its BB2.5 prototype has reached 495km/h in testing while their new BB3 has 2200kW of power and is expected to reach up to 700km/h.

Together they hope to gain the title of the world’s fastest electric motorcycle.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com