Electric motorcycles are coming out in
the market faster than lightning, with most major manufacturers having one or
two in the design or production pipeline, not including current major players
Energica, Zero and Brammo. A new player in the field is Sur-Ron, from China,
with its current offering, the “White Ghost”.
Claimed to come with a sub US$ 3,000 price tag, the White Ghost is designed for short urban trips. Carrying a 10
kilowatt electric motor that is the equivalent of 13.4 hp, this e-bike has a
100 km/h top speed powered by a 4.2-kilowatt hour, 60-volt battery that takes
three hours to go to full charge.
Power is transmitted through a two-speed,
dual-clutch DSG automatic gearbox, apparently a first for a China made e-bike.
Suspension is with upside-down telescopic fork in front with a monoshock in the
rear, and ABS is standard equipment.
To carry the White Ghost to a distance of 100 km,
depending on which of the three riding modes is selected. The first two modes –
Economy and Sport – are self-explanatory while the third mode, “Turbo”, boosts
power by 20% for 20 seconds to allow for over taking or riding uphill.
Several modern conveniences are included in design
of the White Ghost, including a storage space where the fuel tank would be for
a normal motorcycle. Also included is full LED lighting all-round, with the
headlight being a two-element projector light unit flanked by two DRLs, which
Sur-Ron calls “Soul-Eye”.
At the back, the brake lights and indicators are
integrated, changing colour and flashing as necessary. On the inside of the
fairing, green LEDs add “atmosphere lighting” to the White Ghost, combined with
cornering lights that come on as the rider leans the e-bike.
Activating the White Ghost is with a keyless fob,
which also includes a vehicle location feature and functions as a flashlight.
The 2018 Sur-Ron White Ghost is currently under-going type approval and
homologation in China for export sales.
