Up for some electric biking adventure? The Lightning Strike power bike beckons to you to throw on your helmet and hit the road.
Made by Silicon Valley based company named Lightning, the Strike is a very good attempt at reaching a wider power bike market at different price points.
The Strike comes in three price options; the Standard edition, which goes for $12,998, the Mid Range edition, which goes for $16,998 and the admittedly ironically named Carbon edition (it has carbon body parts, not that it emits carbon in the exhaust), which goes for $19,998.
The Standard has a 10 kWh battery pack and runs on a liquid cooled electric motor that outputs 90 hp. With its 180 pound-feet torque, you can cruise up to 135 mile per hour. Range on a single charge is 70 miles of highway riding or 100 miles of city riding. You will be able to charge at home with Level 1 chargers (which will reach 100% overnight). Level 2 speeds things up to between two and three hours while it will take about 35 minutes on Level 3 chargers. You would however need to pony up $1500 for Level 3 charging unit as an upgrade. Weight is 455 pounds.
The Mid Range steps things up in some aspects. The battery is bumped to 15 kWh, with range of 105 miles on the highway and 150 miles intra city. Top speed, charging time and electric motor specs remain the same as the Standard but the weight is a heavier 465 pounds.
The top of the line is the Carbon Strike and Lightning is generously equipping it. Top speed jumps to 150 mph and the range is 150 miles on the highway and 200 miles elsewhere, on a 20 kWh battery pack. The electric motor is upgraded to produce 120 hp and the Level 3 charging unit is standard. The Carbon uses Ohlins suspension and comes to a halt with the help of Brembo Monobloc brakes, although these come as options for the Standard and Mid Range. It weighs the heaviest, at 485 pounds.
Lightning claims the Strike was designed to “blend elements of track-ready performance, daily rideability and comfort, as well as aerodynamic efficiency to extend range at higher speeds”. It also shares design elements with the company’s earlier and halo model; the LS-218.
Lightning was founded in 2009 in Silicon Valley with the mission of building two-wheel electric vehicles with superior performance, efficiency and affordability than current gasoline alternatives.