# Screaming Fast 2-Wheeled EVs Lightning Electric Motorcycle Sets 173 MPH Land Speed Record By Katie Cordrey | Published 2010-09-05 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightning-electric-motorcycle References: [powersportsnow](http://powersportsnow.com/2010/09/02/electric-motorcycle-sets-bonneville-record/) & [evworld](http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=23913) The Lightning electric motorcycle set a land speed record of 173 MPH at the Bonneville Salt Flats on September 2, 2010. The screaming fast two-wheeled EV is powered by a motor salvaged from a [General Motors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Grid-Scale-Energy-Storage) [EV1](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/strutt-ev1) electric car. The winning bike is a prototype of Lightning Motorcycles, which is headed up by Richard Hatfield in Silicon Valley, California. A street-legal version of the Lightning electric motorcycle is in the works. **Implications** - If you are someone who has a need for speed, then this electric motorcycle is sure to be intriguing. It's not often that an electric motor sets a world record, as most people think gas power is the way to go. For all those doubters, this electric motorcycle land record demonstrates just how fast these things really are! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.0/10 - Popularity: 25% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Electric Performance Vehicles:** The record set by Lightning's electric motorcycle highlights a rise in demand for high-performing electric vehicles beyond just cars. - **EV Motor Salvage:** The reuse of EV1 electric car parts in Lightning's electric motorcycle highlights a trend in salvaging parts from decommissioned electric vehicles for high-performance purposes. - **Street-legal Electric Motorcycles:** The announcement of a street-legal version of the Lightning electric motorcycle showcases a trend towards mainstreaming of electric motorcycles as a viable alternative in the rapidly-changing transportation industry. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Electric Vehicle Manufacturing:** Manufacturers of electric vehicles can explore the use of salvaged EV1 parts for high-performance vehicle production. - **Motorcycle Manufacturing:** Motorcycle manufacturers can capitalize on the electric motorcycle trend by expanding their offerings to include high-performance electric motorcycles. - **Transportation & Logistics:** The mainstreaming of high-performance electric motorcycles presents opportunities for providers of transportation and logistics solutions to explore more eco-friendly options for courier and delivery services. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Record-Setting E-Motorbikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rgnt-motorcycles.md) - [Ultra-Fast Charging Electric Motorcycles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightning-motorcycles.md) - [Lightweight Electric Motorbikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightweight-electric-motorbike.md) - [Speed Record-Setting E-Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/erockit-one.md) - [Powerful French E-Motorcycles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rider-sr8.md) - [Electric Sporting Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/7000-d.md) - [Retro-Style Electric Motorbikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rm1s.md) - [Street-Legal Electric Motorbikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/land-district-scrambler.md) - [High-Speed Electric Dirtbikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stark-varg.md)