Petersen Automotive Museum exhibit will feature custom electric motorcycles
the Petersen Automotive MuseumThe latest exhibition will showcase a host of the most innovative electric motorcycles ever made by cutting-edge designers. Open to the public on April 14, 2022, in the Richard Varner Family Gallery, the unique “Electric Revolutionaries” collection is an exclusive look at the groundbreaking creations of visionaries at the forefront of the ever-expanding electric motorcycle industry.
Highlights of the new exhibit include “KillaJoule”, the land speed racer who made Eva Hakansson the fastest woman on an electric motorcycle with a run of 240.7 mph. Built by Hakansson and her husband at home and on a budget, ‘KillaJoule’ is the fastest sidecar ever, regardless of engine type.
On the slower end of the spectrum are the innovative solar-powered “solar scooter” and “solar rickshaw” created by Samuel Aboagye. The Ghanaian teenager built both using only salvaged, scrapped and recycled materials that he could obtain for free. Making its world debut will be the intricately designed and exquisitely crafted “The One” from Curtiss Motors. Conceptualized by JT Nesbitt, “The One” features a retro-futuristic design and build quality typically only found on hypercars.
Advertisement
Following the Petersen Museum’s first-ever electric motorcycle exhibit, “Electric Revolution” in 2019, the new exhibit features over 25 unique custom electric motorcycles curated by Motor/Cycle Arts Foundation co-founder Paul D’Orléans.
RELATED: Silver Shotgun: 1970s Italian Motorcycle Design, By Paul D’Orléans
“I’m super excited to bring together this hugely diverse collection of electric vehicle pioneers. The ‘electric revolutionaries’ really represent the range of interests for an electric future, from a humble teenager in Ghana building electric vehicles from scrap metal, to genius craftsmen building concept designs and pushing boundaries, to fast demons and global superstar designers interested in pushing mobility into the green zone,” d’Orléans said. “Electric Revolutionaries” is produced by the Motor/Cycle Arts Foundation and Sasha Tcherevkoff with support from LiveWire.
Listen to our interview with Paul D’Orléans on the Rider Magazine Insider podcast
“It’s amazing to see how far electric motorcycles have come in the short time since our first exhibit in 2019,” said Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. “This new display gives a unique, up-close look at the innovative machines and the creators behind them who are pushing the boundaries of motorcycle electrification and design. The detail, level of craftsmanship and unorthodox thinking behind these electric motorcycles make them essential.
Other notable electric motorcycles on display include Joey Ruiter’s “NOMOTO”, which camouflages itself as utilitarian street furniture and its geometric “Moto Undone” concept. The ultra-minimalist “RONTU” of famous motorcycle designer Walt Siegl is also part of the exhibition. Hugo Eccles’ award-winning avant-garde “XP Zero”, a radical reinterpretation of a production Zero SR/F into a futuristic cafe racer, is also part of the extensive collection of unique and innovative electric motorcycles.
To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit petersen.org.
