LIGHTNING MOTORCYCLES LS-218 (2014-Present) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Lightning LS-218 was an electric motorcycle that debuted in 2014, designed, engineered, and manufactured by Lightning Motorcycle, a company founded by Richard Hatfield in 2006 with the headquarters in the new location in San Jose, California, United States.

The LS-218 model has been in production since 2014 and holds the title of the world's fastest street-legal production electric motorcycle, with a top speed of 351 kph (218 mph), placing it at the top of the list with the fastest electric bikes.

At the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a race-modified LS-218 motorcycle won against both gasoline and electric-powered motorcycles, making it the first electric-powered motorcycle to beat internal combustion machines in a professional race.

In addition, the Lightning Motorcycles team present at the Pikes Peak race was entirely off-grid, charging the bike's batteries only with solar panels, making it the first electric motorcycle to win a race using solar energy.

The bike had three options for charging the battery, such as the Lightning-Fast Charge System (LFCS) with 80 percent charge in 12 minutes, Level Three with 80 percent in 35 minutes, and Level Two with 80 percent in 120 minutes.

As for the power figures, the 2014 Lightning Motorcycles LS-218 had installed as its core an IPM liquid-cooled electric motor that delivered 244 hp at 10,500 rpm and 298 Nm (220 lb-ft) torque.