Lightning's Technology
Engineered by Enthusiasts for Enthusiasts
Transportation is shifting from fossil fuels to cleaner forms of energy. Electric vehicles pioneers have disrupted the car industry and created a new clean future for transportation.
Likewise, the motorcycle industry has begun a similar shift toward clean transportation. With 14+ years of pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle capabilities Lightning is now focused on scaling production of electric motorcycles which exceed the performance of gas motorcycles.
Make Impossible Design Possible
Lightning has partnered with Autodesk to apply AI technology to the engineering design in their record-breaking electric motorcycles. Generative Design is used to quickly iterate hundreds of thousands of design alternatives to optimize the final design to the targets specified by the engineers. Generative Design can be used to optimize manufacturing methods to develop products that not only have superior performance but also hit cost targets.
The Generative Design software creates thousands of unique design options and Lightning engineers work collaboratively to refine the final design.
The first project collaboration was focused on using AI to develop a swingarm for Lightning’s LS-218 that achieved a weight savings of in excess of 20% and was stronger than Lightning’s conventional swingarm.
The final design looks very organic. See AI based Lightning swingarm design photos. Watch the video to learn more.
Charging Lightning-Fast
One of the last challenges with electric vehicles has been range and charge time. Lightning’s engineers have developed a system that exceeds the range of similar gas motorcycles and charges nearly as fast as a gas refueling stop.
Lightning’s Fast Charge Battery technology enables charging to over 10kwh in under 6 minutes and to over 20kwh within 15 minutes
Years of aerodynamic testing and careful attention to mechanical efficiency enables Lightning to engineer our motorcycles to achieve longer range even with the same size battery. Overall, riding a Lightning means more time on the road and less time on the cord.
The Power of Lightning
Before manufacturing electric motorcycles for consumers, Lightning engineered and tested our electric motorcycles in competition. We developed electric motorcycles that outperform the top gas motorcycles and then integrated that technology into every motorcycle we build.
The LS-218 Superbike was designed and engineered to test the limits of what the ultimate electric motorcycle could be. We proved through competition with winning results that we met our goal. The Lightning Strike is an electric SuperSport engineered for the track but designed for the street. The Strike is comfortable navigating complex urban environments as well as exciting weekend adventures or track days. All Lightning electric motorcycles benefit from our competition heritage and proven technologies.
Design for Light Weight
“Weight is the enemy of motorcycle” is the mantra of Lightning engineer teams. To have an agile and good handling bike, weight is a key factor. Lightning achieve light weight through multiple functional areas rather than one-solution-fix-all approach. It is through continuous improvement of the system structure rather than one-time-effort.
In our “Lightning Synergetic System” approach one area the Lightning engineering team focuses on is weight, a critical performance enemy. To have an agile and great handling motorcycle, weight is a key factor. Our teams’ focus on weight reduction through continuous research, testing and validation results in improved performance, range and handling
Engineering for Efficiency
The benefits of weight reduction are obvious but another factor in our “Lightning Complete System” approach is aerodynamics. By sculpting the fairing and bodywork in conjunction with extensive wind tunnel testing and internal competitive analysis indicates that Lightning is by far one the most aerodynamically efficient electric motorcycle on the market today when compared to other non-faired electric motorcycles. We have achieved nearly 30% reduction in aerodynamic drag at 70 mph (112 kph) resulting in improved highway range.
Lightning's Dashboard
Lightning’s Smart Dash is designed to provide real-time feedback of systems functions to keep the rider informed. Place your cursor over image for interactive features
