American electric motorcycle brand Curtiss Motorcycles has released new images of the upcoming Curtiss Zeus electric motorcycle with a V8 style battery. The latest images show an all-new skeletal space frame which houses a unique electric powertrain inspired by Glenn Curtiss' legendary 1907 V8 motorcycle, with which he set a land speed record of 136.3 mph (219.35 kmph). The Curtiss Zeus packs the battery cells inside eight cylindrical towers configured in a V pattern which is said to maximise cooling efficiency. The eight cylinders hold 16.9 kWh of battery which delivers power through a proprietary controller and motor package co-developed with British engineering firm Yasa.
Also Read: Curtiss Zeus Electric Motorcycle Prototype Revealed
The Zeus will have close to 217 bhp of power and almost 200 Nm of instant torque
Curtiss estimates the Zeus to have maximum power of 217 horsepower and almost 200 Nm of immediate torque. The front suspension is an aluminium girder type fork and the chassis is a hand-welded titanium/chromoly tubular frame with carbon fibre wheels. Curtiss hasn't disclosed any estimated range on a single charge from the V8-style battery pack yet. We expect it to be a cracklet of a performer and the final production model is expected to be radically designed going by what Curtiss Motorcycle (formerly Confederate Motorcycles) has been designing and developing in the past, mainly bespoke performance cruisers.
Also Read: Confederate Motorcycles Goes All-Electric With New Name
Curtiss Motorcycles was previously known as Confederate Motorcycles. After changing the name and switching to electric motorcycles in 2017, the company released a series of prototype designs for the Zeus electric motorcycle. Curtiss was originally using motors from Zero Motorcycles on the Zeus, but ultimately switched to a proprietary Yasa P400R motor. The Curtiss Zeus V8 is expected to be launched in production form as a 2020 model, and it won't be cheap, with an estimated price tag of $ 75,000 (over Rs. 51 lakh under current exchange rates).
