PHOTO CAPTION: Chip Yates celebrates record breaking moment on Pikes Peak.
First timer Chip Yates places 2nd in class with all-electric motorcycle, setting new record run at 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
American superbike rider and electric vehicle pioneer Chip Yates has delivered another stunning race result with his homebuilt 240 horsepower electric superbike at the 89th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday, June 26th. Overcoming high winds, red flags, oil on the track, and 2.6 miles of bumpy dirt, Chip achieved two new world records with his surprising run of 12:50.094 while finishing 2nd in the Exhibition Powersport class behind Grand National Champion Joe Kopp.
With 240 horsepower and 400 ft/lbs of torque on tap from the UQM Technologies PowerPhase electric motor, the SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing Electric Superbike has become the most powerful motorcycle of any kind to ever finish the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in its 89-year history.
More importantly, Chip and his team have claimed a new course world record for electric motorcycles at Pikes Peak, beating the previous time of 16:55.849 set by John Scollon in 2010 on an HM ElectroCat by a convincing 4:05.755 margin.
In addition to the impressive results shown by the team this year, the real story to come out of the weekend is the potential the electric superbike showed for a top finish next year when all 12.4 miles of the iconic 156-corner public highway will be paved. This year Chip had to contend with tip-toeing a nearly 600 pound roadracing superbike through 2.6 miles of bumpy dirt road, where he lost significant time (over 1 minute) to the race leaders, highlighted by the split times of the race.
In the first section of the course, which is paved asphalt, Chip’s split time was an incredible 9th out of 112 motorcycles as he demonstrated knee-dragging superbike racing techniques to more than 5,000 fans that lined the lower section of the mountain road. However, in the dirt section, Chip predictably suffered badly, and was 97th out of the 112 racers. This huge time disparity hints at the potential for a great 2012 result once the course is completely paved.
In this first paved section of the hill climb, Chip’s electric superbike was only beaten by eight top riders: Carlin Dunne (race winner), Greg Tracy, Gary Trachy, Mark Cernicky, Stuart Sinclair, Joe Kopp, Mike Ell, and Davey Durelle.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing team did much more than kick up dirt at the 89th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (www.ppihc.com) with its all-electric motorcycle powered by a UQM Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex: UQM) high-performance electric propulsion system. The team shocked the Pikes Peak organizers, competitors and motorsports community with a 2nd place class finish while also setting a new electric motorcycle record time of 12:50.094. The previous Pikes Peak electric motorcycle record of 16:55.849 was set in 2010.
Chip Yates is both the rider and the designer of the SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing motorcycle. At 240 horsepower, the SWIGZ electric motorcycle is the most powerful motorcycle ever entered in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
The real story to come out of the weekend is the potential the electric superbike showed for a top finish next year, when the course should be fully paved. This year Chip says that he tip-toed a nearly 600-pound road-racing superbike through 2.6 miles of dirt road, where he lost significant time to the race leaders. In the first section of the course, which is paved asphalt, Chip was 9th out of 112 motorcycles and demonstrated knee-dragging superbike racing techniques to more than 5,000 fans that lined the mountain road.
Chip Yates is a professional motorcycle road racer, team owner, and extreme electric vehicle designer. Since January 2010, Yates has led the all-American team of Ben Ingram, Robert Ussery and Jimmy Summers to create, build, and race the a powerful and sophisticated electric superbike. Yates holds a Master’s Degree in Business from the University of Southern California. For more information and to request photography for publication, please visit www.chipyates.com.
UQM Technologies is a developer and manufacturer of power-dense, high-efficiency electric motors, generators and power electronic controllers for the automotive, aerospace, military and industrial markets. A major emphasis for UQM is developing products for the alternative-energy technologies sector, including propulsion systems for electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, under-the-hood power accessories and other vehicle auxiliaries. UQM headquarters, engineering, product development center and manufacturing operation are located in Longmont, Colorado.
The development mule is built around the Yamaha YZF-R15 frame is capable of reaching speeds upwards of 220km/hr.