by Christopher DeMorro

EV Motorcycles are at the forefront of EV motorsports technology, pushing the limits of speed and agility in this emerging field. Lightning Motorcycles recently made history, becoming the first EV motorcycle to break the 200 mph barrier.

The Bonneville Salt Flats have a long, rich history with hot rodders and land speed records. Even to this day there are many who make the regular pilgrimage to hot rodding’s holy ground. But a new breed of hot rodder is taking root, one who drives fast and silent, letting the instant torque of electricity drive them to new records.

Lightning Motorcycles enlisted salt flats veteran Paul Thede to pilot their Remy motor-powered speed machine to new heights. The Lightning team set a new average land speed record for electric motorcycles at 206.079 mph between his runs, reaching a top speed of 208.386 mph.

That makes the Lighting EV motorcycle the first of its kind to break the 200 mph barrier, beating veteran driver Chip Yates and his custom EV motorcycle to the proverbial punch. But there are still plenty of records left to set and break, and we’re only seeing the very beginning of what promises to be an exciting world of electric motorcycle racing, from the TTXGP to Pikes Peak.