Mission Motors, based in San Francisco, claims that the bike, pegged “Mission One,” will ramp up to 150mph, with a range of 150 miles. And according to them, it’ll be a far different ride from crotch rockets of yore: Because of the electric motor, the torque curve is flat rather than bell-shaped (as is the case with combustion engines). That means performance that would make a drag racer drool: Faster acceleration than most sportbikes, and no gear shifting. (Now, keep in mind that many sport bikes can easily hit 100mph in less than six seconds—supercars do it about two seconds slower.)
The bike’s lithium-ion battery recharges in two hours, and there’s no tail pipe or gas tank since there’s no internal combusion engine.
Obviously, all the tech specs pale next to the design by Yves Behar, which manages to be exactly what you’d hoped for but like nothing you’ve really seen: One-half Ducati, one half stealth fighter. Forrest North—who, despite what his name would suggest, isn’t a porn star, but rather Mission’s CEO and a Tesla vet—says the bike will set a “new standard”; Yves Behar says the design expresses speed and efficiency, alongside rethought ergonomics. They’re already taking preorders.
