Brammo Electric Motorcycle History and Evolution

Brammo's journey in the electric motorcycle world began in 2002 when Craig Bramscher founded the company in Ashland, Oregon.

The first Brammo Enertia, launched in 2008, was a significant milestone, weighing in at 400 pounds and boasting a 50-mile range.

In 2010, Brammo introduced the Enertia Plus, which improved on its predecessor with a more powerful motor and increased range.

The Empulse series, starting with the Empulse in 2012, marked a significant step forward in terms of performance and technology, with a 100-mile range and 60 horsepower.

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Brammo Motorsports was founded by Craig Bramscher in his garage after he couldn't find a supercar that fit him comfortably.

Bramscher, a 6 ft 3 in tall former football player, wanted a car comparable to the McLaren Formula 1 car that could accommodate his 6 ft 8 in tall frame and 300 lb weight.

He registered the name "Brammo Motorsports" with the state of Oregon on September 4, 2002.

Bramscher started by importing the Ultima Can Am in component form, assembling them, and selling them to customers, who could even watch their vehicle being built online through "build journals".

In 2011, Brammo's Empulse RR racing motorcycle made a name for itself in the world of electric motorcycle racing.

At Infineon Raceway, the Empulse RR won the first two races of the TTXGP North American Series, setting a track record for electric motorcycles.

Steve Atlas piloted the motorcycle throughout the series, providing consistent speed and performance.

On the weekend of September 2, 2011, the Empulse RR took third place at the TTXGP race at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

However, the team's prior points earned in the racing series guaranteed them the title of TTXGP North American Champion.

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Brammo Motorsports was born in Craig Bramscher's garage after he visited several Ferrari and Lamborghini dealerships in Hollywood and Los Angeles, California.

Craig Bramscher, a tall and athletic individual, was looking for a supercar that would comfortably fit his 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) frame.

Bramscher's goal was to design and build a car comparable to the McLaren Formula 1 car, but with a twist: it had to accommodate a 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall person weighing 300 lb (140 kg).

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He registered the name "Brammo Motorsports" with the state of Oregon on September 4, 2002.

Bramscher started by importing the Ultima Can Am, a car that would serve as a learning tool for the components, tools, and processes needed to manufacture a complete vehicle.

Customers were offered "build journals", which allowed them to watch their vehicle being built in near real-time online.

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Brammo has been a pioneer in the electric motorcycle industry since 2009. Their first product, the Enertia, was priced at $7995 or less, as seen in a hot topic discussion from November 2009.

The company also introduced the Empulse line of water-cooled electric motorcycles in 2010, with models offering an average range of 60, 80, or 100 miles respectively. Top speed for these models is in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Here are some of the key models and features of Brammo's products:

The Empulse line was later updated to include a gearbox in the production model, which led to a delay in delivery from summer 2011 to 2012.

Brammo initially worked on a high-performance vehicle called the Pro GT, which was designed to have a 600 cu in V12 engine producing 800 hp. They finalized the design in 2004 and hired Brian Wismann as the lead designer.

The Pro GT prototype was a significant project, with Brammo commissioning a six-speed transverse synchro-mesh gearbox from Xtrac, Inc. of Berkshire, England.

Brammo later changed the name of the Pro GT to the Rogue GT, but demand for the vehicle was not sufficient to sustain production.

In 2006, Brammo assigned its interest in the trademark "Rogue" to Nissan Motors, which went on to introduce the Nissan Rogue, a compact crossover SUV, in October 2007.

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Brammo's Enertia powercycle was the first prototype designed to be a lighter motorcycle, taking advantage of lithium battery technology.

The company raised $10 million in September 2008 from investors including Best Buy and Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital.

Brammo's Enertia was initially released in 2009, with a price point of $7,995 or less, as mentioned in a forum discussion.

The Empulse electric motorcycle was introduced in 2010, with water-cooled models offering an average range of 60, 80, or 100 miles respectively.

The Empulse R was named the "2013 Motorcycle of the Year" by Playboy, and also won the "Best Electric" award.

Brammo's Empulse and Empulse R were also recognized in Popular Science's "Best of What's New 2011" and GQ's "Best stuff of the year 2012" lists.

Here are some notable awards won by Brammo's products:

Brammo made a significant acquisition in September 2011, purchasing European bike rental company QuantyaParx with plans to expand the business to the United States.

Brammo's growth was further supported by an investment from Polaris Industries in October 2011, with Polaris investing an undisclosed amount.

Polaris had previously invested in electric vehicles and had acquired Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) from Chrysler, indicating a commitment to the electric vehicle market.

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Polaris's investment in Brammo was a strategic move, allowing the company to add electric drivetrains to its ATV and motorcycle product lineup.

Here are some key details about Polaris's investment in Brammo:

In 2012, a United States customer took delivery of the first Empulse R.

Brammo's partnership with TTXGP was announced in July 2011, but it wasn't until 2012 that the details of the partnership were finalized.

The Empulse Trio line of electric motorcycles was announced in 2010, but the 2011 delivery date was later extended into 2012 due to the decision to incorporate a gearbox into the production model.

The Empulse motorcycles offered an average range of 60, 80 or 100 miles respectively, with top speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

The TTXGP was a groundbreaking event that showcased zero-emissions superbikes. It took place on the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Course in June 2009.

Brammo entered two modified Enertia motorcycles in the TTXGP, with impressive results. One of the bikes, the TTR, finished in third place during the final race.

Scottish rider Mark Buckley achieved a remarkable average speed of 75.35 mph and reached a top speed of 102 mph on the TTR bike. His time was 30 minutes, 2.64 seconds.

In September 2011, Brammo acquired European bike rental company QuantyaParx, planning to expand the business to the United States.

Polaris Industries made a significant investment in Brammo in October 2011, further solidifying Brammo's growth potential.

Brammo's acquisition of QuantyaParx marked the beginning of the company's expansion efforts.

Polaris' investment in Brammo was a strategic move, allowing the company to tap into Brammo's electric drivetrain technology.

Here's a brief overview of the key events:

Polaris' investment in Brammo was a significant one, totaling $28 million in 2011, with an additional $13 million later on.

The investment allowed Polaris to tap into Brammo's electric systems and drive trains, which they would later use in some of their products.

Polaris' acquisition of Brammo's electric motorcycle business marked a significant shift in the company's focus, allowing them to enter the electric motorcycle market.

The acquisition also allowed Polaris to utilize Brammo's lithium-ion electric drivetrain technology in their products.

Brammo has received some impressive awards and recognition over the years. The company's products have been honored with several prestigious awards, including the Silver Edison Award in 2010 for Enertia.

One of the notable awards is the Motorcycle.com Best of 2011, where Brammo's product received an honorable mention for best electric motorcycle.

Brammo's Empulse model was recognized by Popular Science as one of the "Best of What's New 2011" in the automotive category.

The Empulse also made it to GQ's list of "Best stuff of the year 2012".

Brammo's Empulse R took home two notable awards in 2013: "Motorcycle of the Year" and "Best Electric" from Playboy.

Here's a list of some of the notable awards received by Brammo's products: