After watching the 24 Hours of Electricross video, I am so looking foward to starting the second phase of this project. I decided that it can be a really exercise to build test model with the main electronics components and get a better understanding of the electric terms that make up an electric vehicle dictionary.

In a conversation with Kees, a fellow engineer at Flex, I got some support on relevant information about building a small test model on the electric components. Yesterday he surprised me with these motors! saying I could use one of them for the test!

Thanks Kees, really nice incentive.

Meet the Lightning Lithium, an electric superbike converted from a 1999 Yamaha R1 Superbike. Built by Richard Hatfield, a motorcycle enthusiast and solar panel importer based in Burlingame, and Todd Kollin, from Electric Motorsport.

They used 28 LiFePO4 batteries which weight 6.6 pounds each. The conversion cost 15,000 dollars and can be seen in detail in this video.

Some tech specs to boost our knowledge are:

Lightning Motors’ 1999 Yamaha R1 electric conversion

Price: $15,000
Powertrain: AC regenerative motor powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, 550-amp system, one speed
Battery Spec: 28 Batteries of 90 amp-hours at 3.2 volts and 6.6 pounds each.
Maximum torque: 80 pound-feet
Maximum rpm: 8,000
Potential horsepower: 70
Estimated range: 80 miles at 65 mph
Dry weight: About 400 pounds
Charge time: Seven hours with on-board charger that plugs into a standard outlet

Sources: Threehugger and LA Times online