The organizers of the first-ever electric motorcycle race on the Isle Of Man, the TTXGP, are bringing electric car racing to the streets of Paris next June. The cars may be electric, but don't expect them to be slow.
In similar fashion to the Monaco Grand Prix, the EMXGP will take place on regular streets that have been closed off to create the track. That route will run along the Seine river in the borough of Levallois and border Neuilly. A bus depot is being converted to serve as pit garages.
Last summer's TTXGP attracted a wide range of participants, with machines running the gamut from bikes that looked like high school science projects to the MotoCzysz E1PC and its 11 externally mounted batteries, three motors and iPhone dashboard.
The winner's of the TTXGP, Team Agni, averaged 87 MPH around the Isle of Man's tight country lanes. We expect considerably more speed from better funded car racing teams equipped with platforms capable of holding many more batteries and much more powerful motors. A specific race series for electric cars should be just the thing to kick start innovations in electric performance, giving manufacturers and inventors a venue, opportunity and a promotional benefit to combining speed and zero emissions.
Beyond the dates, details of the EMXGP, including the rules and formula, are still scarce. We'll bring you more details as they develop.
Here's the press release:
World première for Paris - electric cars and motorcycles take to the streets
EMXGP (part of eGrandPrix.com) is delighted to announce its partnership with GP-Elec, the organisers of the first electric car race and electric motorcycle event taking place in the city centre of Levallois, Paris.
M. Patrick Balkany, Maire of Le Levalllois (Paris) and MP of "Les Hauts-de-Seine was delighted to confirm yesterday evening that the city of Levallois (Borough of Paris) will host next June 4, 5 and 6 the GP-Elec event, the first electric car and electric motorcycle event in Paris.
The race and the week end event is taking place in Levallois-Perret. The track is bordering Neuilly and the Seine with VIP hospitality located on the Ile De La Grande Jatte, opposite to Quai Michelet between the Passerelle and the Pont de Levallois.
The novelty and the scale of this exciting new sporting event, which is designed to appeal to the public at large, will present a unique race programme and a variety of recreational activities . This event is in line with the active course of action Patrick Balkany is pursuing in his political career for lasting development and protection of the environment.
Azhar Hussain, Founder and CEO eGrandPrix, said, "We are tremendously proud to partner with the city of Levallois in Paris and GP-Elec to deliver an event that will be a milestone in history as we transcend to the next generation of technologies and racing. The French have a heritage of innovation and technology, and it is appropriate and fitting that they have been the most imaginative in helping deliver such an important event at such a crucial ecological moment in human history."
[via EMXGP]