This Electric Bike Is Faster Than The Kawasaki Ninja H2R!

Earlier this year in July, French manufacturer Voxan created ripples across the world with the unveiling of its first production electric cruiser, the Wattman. More importantly, it also unveiled a specialised motorcycle based on the Wattman, designed to shatter land speed records to smithereens. And that’s exactly what the Wattman has done, achieving not one but eleven new world speed records at the Châteauroux airfield in France, between October 30 and November 1.

What takes the cake is that the record-breaking runs were made by none other than the legendary six-time world champion Max Biaggi. When it comes to record-breaking speedruns for electric motorcycles, the most prestigious class that Voxan was keen on breaking is called the “partially streamlined electric motorcycle over 300 kilos”. Under this class, the Wattman reached a top speed of 366.94kmph, which is a whole 37.94kmph faster than the previous record-holding bike, the Mobitec EV-02A. As per FIM regulations, two runs were attempted within two hours in both directions. The runs were made with a flying start of over a mile, and the average speed of the two was calculated.

In one of the attempts, the semi-streamlined Wattman hit an insane top speed of 408kmph! That’s faster than the Kawasaki Ninja H2R which reached a record top speed of 400kmph, piloted by Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu. Voxan also attempted the same run without the streamlined fairing and the Wattman reached an equally mind-boggling top speed of 349.38kmph. That’s proper MotoGP motorcycle territory. In one of the runs, it peaked out at a hair-raising 372kmph. Apart from these, Voxan also achieved nine more records. They are as follows:

Of course, apart from Biaggi’s steely resolve, these records were possible only because of Wattman's extremely potent mechanicals. It has the same Mercedes-Benz EQ permanent magnet motor as the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team. This motor has been tweaked to produce a mind-numbing 270kW of power, linked to the rear wheel via a direct-drive transmission with a timing belt. The 15.9kWh battery pack weighs 140kg, and the motorcycle tips the scales at 336kg. Since straightline stability is the priority in such record-breaking runs, the bike gets a dual swingarm up front, linked to a central shock absorber and an offset handlebar. For the best possible performance, the 17-inch wheels are shod with Michelin Power RS+ tyres on both ends.

Commenting on the historic achievement, Max Biaggi said, “When Gildo Pastor, President of the Venturi Group, approached me about this project, I was curious, very motivated, and at the same time a little uncertain. Having said that, right after our first meeting, I quickly realised that, like Gildo, his teams were driven by an incredible belief and determination. They told me 'we came close to 600 km / h (373 mph) on four wheels, and now we want to flirt with 400 km / h (249 mph) on two wheels, nothing's going to stop us!' These records make me a happy man! I'm proud of the team and delighted to bring these titles back to Monaco! ”.

Voxan does not intend to rest on its laurels. By the end of 2022, the Wattman is looking to hit an average speed of 400kmph on a longer course. Exciting times, indeed!