Orange County Choppers was commissioned by Siemens to build an entirely electric motorcycle in order to raise environmental awareness. Given the New York-based custom motorcycle builder’s tradition of building noisy and very spectacular choppers powered by a good old V-Twin engine, Siemens’s proposition might have sounded a bit unusual at first, but it was a challenge waiting to be taken.
The end result was unveiled yesterday at the Time Warner Center by Siemens and Paul Teutul Senior itself and we must say that it looks as good as any other OCC creation so far, if not even better, given the futuristic tendency.
But while the looks aspect is discussable, the incontestable fact is that the 27-horsepower electric motor from Advanced DC powers the Siemens electric chopper to a 100+ mph top speed. The six batteries take five hours to charge and supply the bike with electricity for around 60 miles, which is quite decent.
OCC built the Siemens bike in a single month and it is all on tape and scheduled to air on TLC on Thursday, October 22 at 9PM.
Siemens plans to take their bike on a worldwide tour in 2010 and then auction it and donate the money to "a charitable cause that will help benefit the environment." Yes, that means you can even end up owning it if you’re a man with deep pockets and the fact that OCC says that it currently has no plans to mass produce an electric chopper until demand is here, makes this creation even more unique.
See a video from the event and read the Siemens press release after the break.
PRESS RELEASE:
Siemens Unveils the First Custom 'Green' Electric Chopper
First Electric Bike Made by Famed Orange County Choppers; Will Be Featured on Hit TV Show and Donated to Charity
NEW YORK, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Siemens (NYSE: SI) announced today that it has teamed up with renowned custom motorcycle manufacturer Orange County Choppers to build the first custom electric motorcycle. The "Siemens Smart Chopper," which will be featured on the hit TV show American Chopper, was unveiled today in an event at the Time Warner Center.
"We wanted to build this unique chopper to raise environmental awareness and reflect what the 69,000 employees of Siemens USA are doing to help America stay on the cutting edge of tomorrow's green economy," said Daryl Dulaney, President & CEO of Siemens Building Technologies. "Siemens is already very much a part of the fabric of America, and our portfolio is one of the greenest in the business. Green is not marketing hype for us; it is in our DNA."
"If energy or energy efficiency is involved--Siemens is involved," said Randy Zwirn, CEO of Siemens Energy, Inc. "Our technologies are helping to more efficiently and cleanly produce, deliver, consume and conserve energy. And these technologies are here today. This bike represents the spirit of innovation and passion we have for seeking sustainable solutions for our planet."
Orange County Choppers, a leading manufacturer of custom motorcycles, built the Siemens Smart Chopper over the course of a month. Siemens also developed a compatible Smart Grid-ready charger which communicates with the utility to enable charging when the electricity is most affordable.
The motorcycle features and design include:
* First electric chopper by Orange County Choppers
* Recycled materials
* Advanced DC Motors Inc. Series Wound 8" motor
* LED lighting by OSRAM SYLVANIA, a Siemens company
* 27 Peak horsepower and maximum speed of 100 MPH
* Range of 60 miles on a single charge
* On-board charger that can be plugged into any 110-volt outlet
"Building an electric bike from recycled materials was something new for us, but we definitely enjoyed the challenge and think that the end product makes a great addition to our wide range of unique motorcycles," said Paul Teutul, Sr., founder of Orange County Choppers, based in Newburgh, N.Y. "While electric bikes probably won't surpass traditional ones for the foreseeable future, we also think that energy efficient technologies are increasingly important for both manufacturers and consumers."
Teutul is the driving force behind the family-owned business that grew from a hobby into a 70-person-plus operation that produces and sells 150 custom bikes a year to a broad public ranging from private individuals and celebrities to professional sports teams and Fortune 500 companies. Teutul's custom bike shop is featured on American Chopper, a reality-style TV show, since 2002.
The American Chopper episode featuring the Siemens Smart Chopper is scheduled to air on TLC on Thursday, October 22 at 9PM ET/PT.
Siemens plans to showcase the Smart Chopper at energy and industrial tradeshows and conferences in the coming months. In 2010, the motorcycle will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to a charitable cause that will help benefit the environment.