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Voxan Sets Electric Motorcycle Speed Records


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If the future is electric, Voxan Motors just took a step in the right direction with a string of electric motorcycle world records. With nary a burnt hydrocarbon in sight, Max Biaggi piloted the Voxan Wattman to an indicated top speed of 408 km/h (253.5 mph).

To qualify for the world record, however, the top speed must be measured in both directions on the same stretch of tarmac within two hours, according to the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme). The venue that Voxan originally selected for the record setting runs, the world’s largest salt flats at Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, was deemed inaccessible due to the worldwide pandemic. A suitable replacement was found at Marcel Dassault Airport in Châteauroux, France, with its 3.5 km (2.1 mile) runway and lack of air traffic, again, due to the pandemic.

Voxan - Max Biaggi

Max Biaggi on the Voxan. Credit: Voxan

Who better to pilot the Voxan than four-time 250cc World Champion and two-time Superbike World Championship winner Max Biaggi. With his signature racing number 3 on both his leathers and the bikes, the 49-year-old Italian sported a little more grey in his beard than we last saw him in action, but it has not appeared to slow him any.

Voxan Electric Motorcycles

Voxan Electric Motorcycles

Beneath Biaggi would be several iterations of Voxan’s Wattman electric motorcycle, tuned to produce and impressive 367 horsepower, and sporting various styles of fairings to qualify for either “partially streamlined” or “non-streamlined” records. When the dust settled, the following records were set:

¼ mile, flying start, partially streamlined: 394.45 km/h (245.10 mph) – no previous record
¼ mile, flying start, non-streamlined: 357.19 km/h (221.95 mph) – no previous record
1 km, flying start, partially streamlined: 386.35 km/h (240.07 mph – previous record: 329.31 km/h (204.62 mph)
¼ mile, standing start, non-streamlined: 126.20 km/h (78.42 mph) – no previous record
¼ mile, standing start, partially streamlined: 127.30 km/h (79.10 mph) – previous record: 87.16 km/h (54.16 mph)
1 km, standing start, non-streamlined: 185.56 km/h (115.30 mph) – no previous record
1 km, standing start, partially streamlined: 191.84 km/h (119.20 mph) – previous record: 122.48 km/h (76.11 mph)
1 mile, standing start, non-streamlined: 222.82 km/h (138.45 mph) – no previous record
1 mile, standing start, partially streamlined: 225.01 km/h (139.81 mph)

Voxan Motors started out in the 1990s in France, but was acquired by Monaco-based Venturi Automobiles in 2010, which took the company electric, releasing the Wattman in 2013. The record-breaking runs coincided with Venturi’s 20th anniversary. Voxan has promised to push the envelope even further in 2021, with plans to visit Bolivia and hit even higher top speeds.

 

Sources: motopinas.com, thedrive.com, newatlas.com, venturi.com

Vezi sursa

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