British company White Motorcycle Concepts [WMC] has begun production of its pioneering electric hybrid motorcycle WMC300FR.
Northamptonshire Police became the first emergency service in the world to place a pilot fleet-order for the innovative new vehicles.
The WMC300FR has been designed to bridge the gap with its pioneering and innovative hybrid three-wheeled scooter as an immediate viable solution both environmentally and economically.
British engineering company, WMC, founded by Chief Executive Officer Rob White and based in Northamptonshire, along with Northamptonshire Police led by Chief Constable & UK Police lead for Motorcycles Nick Adderley, as well as a select group of British engineering innovation companies including EY3, TotalSim and Productiv have developed the WMC300FR over the past four years.
The result is a cost-efficient hybrid-based solution for emergency services, ready to be deployed without the need for any infrastructure, and capable of operating within the current fleet.
Unveiled as a prototype in June 2021, the circa. £14,000 bike has been optimised and developed into production specification and is now being manufactured to order.
The WMC300FR is designed specifically for use as an operational first response and community patrol vehicle.
The WMC300FR using the same patented Venturi Duct technology central to WMC’s all-electric WMC250EV high-speed demonstrator used in its world electric land speed record programme. The three-wheeled scooter is based on the Yamaha Tricity 300 platform and uses the same 292cc single-cylinder four-stroke motor, but the WMC300FR features a duct and top box made from recycled aerospace grade carbon fibre – developed by X Works, and a hybrid power assist utilising two 56V 12Ah detachable lithium-ion rechargeable EGO Power+ batteries.
The duct works to force air through rather than around the bike, increasing energy efficiency through its significantly lower aerodynamic drag ratio, thus reducing carbon emissions by 50%. All this combined allows the WMC300FR to reach an astonishing urban fuel economy figure of 104mpg.
Ongoing development since the bike’s unveiling has also allowed WMC to optimise the electric drive so that the hybrid motor delivers all the vehicle’s power from standstill, when it is most effective. Once the bike is at speeds of more than 30mph, to avoid the battery draining rapidly, the conventional petrol power source takes over when it is at its most efficient and can benefit from the additional drag reduction at a higher velocity.
The use of detachable batteries also means that the bike is not subject to charge waiting, while the addition of a mobile power source and inverter to the production version of the bike means that the WMC300FR can become a mobile work station, complete with three-pin plug and USB ports – a key factor in modern policing with regards to rapid evidence capture and witness statement gathering.
The three-wheeled scooter, developed in conjunction with Northamptonshire Police, and with the cooperation and guidance of the Chief Constable Nick Adderley – the Motorcycle Lead for UK Police – is the result of nearly three-year’s worth of research into pioneering drag reduction aerodynamics. This, paired with the latest generation of hybrid technology, can reduce carbon emissions by 50% of that of comparable conventional motorcycles and scooters.
Funded in part by government grants from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles [OZEV], one of the most outstanding aspects of the WMC300FR First Responder is that it is a tangible example of the scheme paying back into the community through job creation, economic growth, tax savings and all while working towards a greener future.
It is expected the first WMC300FR, equipped with a Woodway Engineering blue light system, will be put into service by October, 2022.
Source: White Motorcycle Concepts
Be the first to comment