At this year’s EICMA show in Milan, UK electric motorcycle company Arc has unveiled Vector, the world’s first fully electric Neo-café racer, with game-changing fully integrated Human Machine Interface (HMI). The Arc Vector promises an all-new connection with the road and the environment. This is the most advanced electric motorcycle ever brought to market, utilizing exotic materials, thoroughbred componentry and cutting-edge architecture, wrapped in a breathtakingly futuristic body with post-modern nods to café racers past.
Designed and built by a team of visionary engineering specialists, the Vector unites world-first technology, best-in-class performance and quality, and a level of exclusivity that will make this one of the most lusted-after EVs to ever enter production.
The Vector combined with Arc’s Zenith helmet and Origin armoured clothing is the most efficient, safest and most fulfilling electric motorcycle experience yet. For the first time, Human Machine Interface (HMI) has been taken to a new level, comprising an intelligent rider jacket packed with haptic sensory technology and a Heads-Up Display (HUD) helmet inspired by fighter pilot technology, giving the user important information, enhancing the freedom and wellbeing of their riding experience.
For example, the biker’s shoulder may vibrate to alert of a potential hazard, or the jacket will amplify the sense of excitement during a dynamic ride, while information is projected in front of the rider so they can keep their eyes affixed to the road. Arc Vector is a hand-made motorcycle with a lightweight carbon-composite structure and ingeniously elegant battery-module monocoque, which is as clean, efficient and powerful as it is beautiful to behold.
Its featherweight solves one of the headaches normally attributed to brick battery EVs, and it has MotoGP levels of stiffness so that there’s zero compromise on ride. Vector utilises carbon swingarms front and rear, custom-made Ohlins dampers for telepathic handling and feedback, and meaty Brembo brakes on anorexic BST wheels. The entire package tips the scales at 220kg, which is almost 60kg lighter than comparable machines. Vector has the best power-to-weight ratio of any electric motorcycle of its class by a considerable margin.
In raw pace, Vector rivals fossil-fuelled superbikes, sprinting from standstill to 60mph in 3.1 seconds and carrying on to 120mph.
The battery cells are the absolute cutting-edge. Their packaging has been developed to be completely modular, flexible, and legacy-free, maximised for simplicity, space and mass- reduction. The power cell produces 399 units of voltage, giving a realistic range of about 200 miles in urban use and 120 miles on the highway. That’s about 30% more than any comparable EV. Arc will install a personal electric charger at the owner’s desired premises. Away from home, the Vector can be charged in 45 minutes at a quick charge point or service station.
The key to the bike is the Zenith helmet, which has been designed in collaboration with Hedon. Its connected HUD projects speedo, sat-nav and ancillary graphics onto the rider’s visor so they can keep their eyes affixed to the road, Iron Man-style. A live rear-view camera is encased in the calfskin-trimmed helmet, giving the user the ability to see what’s behind them.
The bespoke jacket, Origin, represents a game-changing advance in intelligent technology, making motorcycling even more immersive. HMI has been applied to the armoured ride-wear by packing the jacket with audio-type haptic amplifiers – like a smart phone’s vibration notifications, but a lot more advanced. These may vibrate to alert of a potential hazard, provide dynamic performance-based feedback, or enhance the senses when on a stimulating ride.
The Origin jacket, which is tailored in collaboration with style gurus Knox, has three settings. Urban Mode focuses on safety, alerting the rider to dangers such as vehicles in their blind spot with a polite tap on the shoulder.
Sports Mode gives the rider feedback on the bike’s dynamic position and parameters by taking G-Force related data from the Vector’s carefully nuanced sensors and providing a graduated level of feedback. This tells the rider how close to the limit of the motorcycle’s capabilities the rider is. For example, the harder you brake the more feedback you receive.
Euphoric Mode lets you play music through the haptics as you ride and simulates the bass through the jacket’s amplifiers, making your hairs stand on end. It communicates with the Vector bike and the Zenith helmet wirelessly, emboldening freedom by enhancing the senses.
The Arc Vector, which includes the custom-made Zenith and Origin ride-wear, is priced at $117,000 USD. Production is targeting 399 motorcycles in year one, the same figure as the batteries’ total voltage.