The Ethec electric motorcycle is a project that was created by Zürich University students, specifically from the University of the Arts and ETH. There were 13 mechanical and 1 electrical engineers working on this futuristic project that is sort of awkwardly proportioned.
One of its biggest and most important features would be the massive 15-kWh battery box that offers a range of 250 miles. To further reinforce range efficiency, Ethec has a second hub motor in the front wheel for better regenerative braking. The battery pack is nicely detailed with grilles running through its entire body however it seems to be much larger than the body itself.
To understand why this bike has such measurements and parameters, we have to understand the reason and purpose of the design of this bike. Ethec is made to be the first electric cruiser bike so it has to offer a longer than usual range, smooth power delivery that is ensured by two electric hub motors and comfort over long trips. After putting all the bits and pieces together, the engineers and mechanics passed the project to the designers who designed a smooth bodywork that contrasts heavily with the massive block-ish battery. Howeverm the body in its entirety holds some beautiful details. The front forks resemble Confederate front-ends and the headlight is a beautifully stretched piece of metal from the bodywork that lies forward to shine your path. A 7-inch tablet used to control the bike is connected to the handlebar via a beautifully curved piece of metal.
While the bike seems to be a mess of engineering ideas and a bit of designing touch-ups, seeing it in detail gives us a different perspective. All the bits are well built, well thought and very appealing. Cables are stored and organized in beautiful boxes and formations, lines are blended seamlessly and brutal elements are put together to create a beast of a motorcycle. Performance specs are not out of this world yet they remain quite impressive. 30 hp are put out through both front and rear motors and a burst of 67 hp is available on tap. The front hub motor doesn't do much in spite of performance or speed but it does help significantly for regenerative braking as the entire motorcycle's weight shifts forward.
As messy as the design might look to some people, keep in mind that this machine was created by students and it has a range of 400 kilometers. Considering that, we can begin to accept the rather gigantic battery pack taking up of 80% of the bike's visual and physical weight. While it remains a singular project, further refinements might make this bike into a good option for long distance riders sometimes in the future.
