AN electric motorbike designed in the Hunter could soon be available in stores.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hunter TAFE student Jon Eggenhuizen has been developing an electric motorbike in his Cardiff shed over the past three years.
The result is a Catavolt, a bike that takes four hours and $1.20 to charge and can travel up to 150kilometres on a full charge.
The bike goes from 0 to 100km/h in six seconds and is almost as fast around the track as a 600cc petrol-powered race bike.
It set the Australian land speed record of 177km/h in 2010.
The bike has this year taken out the Australian electric bike championship and qualified for the World Series in Daytona Florida.
The electrical technology student said his design was based on a 250cc bike and was approved for road registration.
With only one other electric bike manufacturer in the world Mr Eggenhuizen has decided to find a Newcastle factory to start a small production run.
‘‘I’ve had a lot of interest,’’ he said.
