missionmotors

Mission Motors Delays Mission One, Announces Next Electric Motorcycle

Mission Motors Mission One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Proving once again how difficult it is to bring an entirely new product to market – especially one as difficult to master as an electric motorcycle – is California-based Mission Motors, which just recently admitted that its first product, the Mission One, will be delayed until the second quarter of 2011. The company had originally planned to have its electric motorcycle ready by the end of 2010. Says interim-CEO Jit Bhattacharya:

[Mission Motors'] target originally to deliver the Mission One was to deliver it by the end of this year [2010]. But when we first set out on that endeavor, we never saw 2009 coming. The recession created new hurdles for every company out there big and small, created new challenges for us, and while we're getting past that, and we've continued the development process, it did affect the development schedule. So we're now looking to deliver the first Mission One's in the second quarter of 2011 instead of the end of this year.

Unfortunate to be sure, but it's not all bad news for Mission Motors, which is poised to get a major investment from Chinese Zongshen Motors if all goes well. Especially intriguing are reports that Mission's next electric two-wheeler (the Mission Two, perhaps?) will be offered with a significantly lower base price and somewhat lower performance goals than the 150-mile-per-hour Mission One.

Gallery: Mission Motors Mission One

[Source: Asphalt & Rubber]

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Mission Motors Targeted For Investment by China's Zongshen Power

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Mission Motors Mission One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Powerhouse Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Zonghshen has signaled its intent to invest in California-based Mission Motors. At this point, nothing more than a letter of intent has been signed, but the deal would give Zongshen access to Mission's proprietary electric drivetrain technology as well as allow Mission access into the Asian markets and give the startup a fresh injection of cash.

Before any deal takes place, Zongshen has requested a full three-year business plan from Mission, due before the end of the month. If all goes well – which is still a very large 'if' at this point – some sort of deal could be completed by June of this year.

Gallery: Mission Motors Mission One

[Source: China Knowledge]

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Tags: mission, Mission Motors, Mission One, MissionMotors, MissionOne, zongshen, zongshen power, ZongshenPower

Mission One Electric Motorcycle

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Mission One motorcycle is the Tesla for the two-wheel set (no surprise since an ex-Tesla employee is oen of the founders). Mission Motors unveiled the Mission One this week at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference. The Mission One's striking design comes courtesy of designer Yves Béhar and the motorcycle sets a new performance standard for electric two-wheelers with a top speed of 150 mph and an estimated range of 150 miles. As Autoblog Green reports the first 50 bikes produced will be a special limited edition that will be out in 2010 and will cost $68,995. A standard and more affordable Mission One will be announced this summer.

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Tags: electric motorcycle, ElectricMotorcycle, mission motors, mission one, MissionMotors, MissionOne