A new all-electric superbike has been developed using a ground-breaking material with the goal to attempt to make history by breaking the world land speed record at speeds in excess of 250mph.
The electric superbike, called the Tachyon Nb, has been developed by Lightning Motorcycles, known for its work in the e-mobility industry and electric motorcycles, to partner with the Brazilian company CBMM, a leader in Niobium technology; a key element to reinforce the concept of the new Tachyon Nb.
The project name Tachyon NB is derived from a hypothesis developed by scientists in the 1960s of a particle with the potential to exceed the speed of light and reach the moon in less than 1 second. The Tachyon particle is the inspiration for the speed of this Lightning motorcycle which benefits from the power of Niobium technology and its lightweight to achieve an unprecedented level of performance on two wheels.
The project aims to innovate and push the limits of high-performance materials in various components of the world’s fastest electric superbike, to improve its performance to break the current land speed record, and exceeding the 250 mph (400 km/h) mark.
The pursuit of electrification in the two-wheeler industry demands even more reliable, safer materials and technologies. The use of Niobium in the mobility industry can result in numerous benefits such as weight reduction and greater energy efficiency, contributing directly to the safety of the vehicles. “This daring partnership serves as a platform for testing and validating Niobium technologies that we believe could play a significant role in the mobility segment. For this year’s collaboration, we are implementing Niobium-containing brake rotors for improved high temperature performance, several Niobium components in the on-board charger that allow the entire system to be more reliable and efficient, and finally Niobium-containing steel tubing in the swing arm and chassis that allows us to meet the demanding strength and weight requirements of the application,” says Daniel Wright, CBMM engineer and person responsible for the development of the project.
“We are excited to announce the Tachyon Nb, our new electric superbike developed to break the current Land Speed Record at Bonneville. Innovation is in Lighting’s DNA. This partnership empowers both companies to drive electric vehicle technology to a new level. Lightning’s vision is to continue to push the limits of what’s possible and promote the adoption of electric motorcycles globally,” says Lightning Motorcycles’ CEO and Founder, Richard Hatfield.
Tachyon Nb will hit the road to exceed the performance of its predecessor model, LS-218. It will go to the Bonneville Salt Flats where vehicles with cutting edge technology and the highest -performance are tested to the limit in the race for land speed records since 1948.
