It might not have the specs of a super bike, but it certainly has the presence. It's called the Saietta R, and underneath that shapely body is an all-electric drivetrain good for a 0-60 MPH run under four seconds. And we're as torn on the styling as you.
Built by U.K.-based Agility Motors, the Saietta R has been making the rounds across the pond for the past year, and this week it landed in Colorado for the state's Clean and Cool Mission to showcase some of Europe's most promising clean-tech startups.
But there was another reason Saietta made the trek to Colorado: It plans to sell the Saietta R in the U.S. beginning next year.
Agility's goal was to create the next generation of electric sport bikes, with a focus on urban assaults rather than long-haul freeway blasts. To that end, it's packing an Advanced Axial Flux Permanent Magnet DC electric motor delivering 97 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque, with juice provided by a lithium ion battery pack that maxes out at 11 kWh. Charging takes place in 8 hours with a 1.5 kW onboard charger, but an optional fast charging system doubles the charging capabilities to reduce that time to about 3.5 hours.
The battery is good for a claimed 112 miles' worth of range in the city and a top speed of 80 mph, further proof that the Saietta is better suited to cities – particularly with its short wheelbase that would be hell on the highway.
Like most electric bikes, the weight is on the high side, coming in at 485 pounds, but the most questionable engineering decision is its tilted battery pack that puts those heavy battery cells squarely on the rider's chest. With that much tonnage that high on the bike, the handling of the Saietta has us ... worried.
But the styling is sure to catch the eye of urban onlookers, and it's a combination of form and function, with Agility touting it as the first production motorcycle with a composite monocoque chassis.
When (or maybe if) the Saietta R goes on sale in the U.S. in late 2014, prices are likely to start at $22,000 and go up from there, depending on the options.
Photos: Agility Motors, Video: Clean and Cool Mission
