Electric Motorcycles: Hot in More Ways than One?

The headline catches the eye. “Welcome to the age of electric motorcycles.” The content of the story on Popsci.com is a look ahead to the anticipated releases this year of a number of electric-powered motorcycles that offer the prospect of some two-wheeled zoom on a par with four-wheeled electric vehicles.

From the standpoint of history, electric motorcycles are not new. There are records of such devices existing prior to 1900. But, at the risk of contributing to what is already an overused buzzword, this new generation of electric motorcycles could make good the concept of disruption.

The technology of lithium-ion batteries certainly means electric motorcycles can begin to meet speed and extended range-of-use demands. But the batteries do have a record of sometimes catching fire and causing serious injuries. And of course, there’s the potential for property loss from those fires.

As exciting as it is for some of us to consider being able go from zero to 60 in less than four seconds without having to shift gears or use fossil fuels, the potential for battery packs suddenly igniting can’t be dismissed. A simple Google search using the words “battery fire” delivers a long list of evidence that it happens in commercial jets, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, phones, computers and e-cigarettes.

Alaska has a reputation of attracting those with streaks of rugged individualism and environmental consciousness. Presuming that’s true, it’s easy to think that Anchorage and other cities in the state could be ripe markets for selling these electric vehicles. However, if defective products lead to injury or death, victims and their families deserve to know that they have rights to seek compensation for their losses. And consulting an attorney is the way to learn what they are.