Top Gear

Outside a small group of enthusiasts, motorcycle riders have shown little interest in electric bikes. This is largely because these vehicles have had fixed gearing that provided either good acceleration but a poor top speed or a good top speed but poor acceleration. The Engage electric motorcycle uses a six-speed mecha- tronic transmission that allows for both rapid acceleration and a high top speed, which could give it broader appeal.

Product: Engage
Cost: $10,000 to $12,000
Availability: Spring 2012
Source: www.brammo.com
Companies: Brammo and SMRE Engineering