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Alternative Energy
FIM Alternative Energy Working Group (AEWG)
The FIM Alternative Energy Working Group’s mission is to make motorcycle racing greener by integrating the latest technological developments in the field of alternative energy in FIM’s competitions and to prepare the future of motorcycling.
Robert Rasor, FIM Vice-President and AEWG Chairman: “The science and technology of alternative energy sources is changing and advancing at an ever increasing rate. Increasingly policy makers and the public will be looking to motorsport, and motorcycling specifically, as a testing ground for this technology. Motorcycles provide an easily adapted platform of modestly simple design that lends itself well to utilizing many different forms of alternative energy. The use of bio fuels, hybrids, electric and hydrogen is coming faster than most of us believe and it will come to motorcycling first! The FIM, its member federations, officials and volunteers must begin now to receive and accept these technologies in both sport and leisure.”
The core activity of the group is to identify and help to promote projects involving alternative means of propulsion for motorcycles and to use FIM network and tools to disseminate good practices. The group has decided to focus on vehicles running with electric power or using biofuels when they do not compete with food production.
The FIM AEWG is composed of experts from different fields, coming from the motorcycling industry, the sport world and energy research centres.
FIM’s actions in the field of alternative energy
Exhibitions of Alternative Energy Powered Motorcycles
On the occasion of its Conference Meetings in February in Geneva 2009, FIM organised an exhibition of electric motorbikes from various manufacturers. KTM exhibited its KTM Electro Enduro prototype; the TTXGP Company, its Brammo; Quantya, a Swiss company, brought three models of which one, the SuperMoto prototype, was presented as a world premiere. While TTXGP models are really intended for racing purposes, the other models are developed for enduro and trail purposes, allowing for a new, clean and silent way of leisure motorcycling.
A new exhibition will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, during the 2009 FIM Biennial Session (October).
TTXGP
The FIM gave its support to the TTXGP, the World's First Clean Emission Carbon Free event, organised on the Isle of Man on 12th June 2009 by Azhar Hussain. The TTXGP was the first international platform for clean-emission motorcycles. The TTXGP provided a means for alternatively-powered motorcycle manufacturers to show that their technologies have their say for the near future of motorcycling.
Bio-fuels for Le Mans
During the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, a mixture containing bio-fuel was successfully used by all teams, which shows the feasibility of the use of alternative energies during high level motorcycling competitions. Mr Puig Bulto explained the new technical regulations that had been approved by the CTI (International Technical Commission) and the General Assembly during the 2008 FIM Congress concerning specifications of the current fuel/up to E10 and E85. The use of biofuels in racing events enables us to test the compatibility with engines and to assess specific issues such as safety or energy supply.
Database of industry initiatives
The FIM AEWG is developing a database of industry and member Federations initiatives in the field of Alternative Energy Motorcycling. This database will soon be available from the FIM AEWG Secretariat.
This list of initiatives will include among many other projects the KTM prototype dual sport bike, the FFM roundtable on the future of electric motorcycling, the Piaggio Hybrid MP3, the Vectrix scooter or the Honda Brazil CG150 Titan Mix motorcycle powered by an eco-friendly fuel mixed with bio-ethanol and gasoline, which will be put on sale in Brazil from mid-March. With the increasing number of announcements of alternatively-powered vehicle projects in the last few months, this database is likely to expand dramatically and should provide an up-to-date overview of the activity in the sector.
Newsletters
Various Documents
Composition of the AEWG
Chairman
Robert Rasor
4516 Olentangy Blvd
Columbus, Ohio 43214
UNITED STATES
Members
Oriol Puig Bulto (CTI)
Muntaner 572, 4°-2a
08022 Barcelona
SPAIN
Silvio Manicardi (CMT)
Via Cassia 551
00189 Roma
ITALY
John Chatterton-Ross (Affaires Publiques - CMT)
Newnham Chaney
1 Apple Tree Close
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP13 7PE
GREAT BRITAIN
Anders Minken (CTR)
Trondheimsveien 197A, K47
0570 Oslo
NORWAY
Dr. Karl-Friedrich Ziegahn (CIE)
Steingassweg 22
76356 Weingarten (Baden)
GERMANY
Coordinator
Alex Goldenberg
c/o FIM
11 route Suisse
1295 Mies
SWITZERLAND
