The world’s most popular motorcycle racing series is adding an all-electric class. Dorna CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta, told Motorsport.com that an electric support series featuring up to 18 bikes could start competing as early as 2019.
Plans are under way to have an electric series on the support bill for as many as five MotoGP races in 2019, with four manufacturers having offered to supply the grid of 18 bikes.
The bikes are expected to reach speeds of around 200 km/h (124mph), making them slightly slower than the existing Moto3 bikes, while races are planned to last around 10 laps each.
Electric motorcycles have been around long enough that the MotoGP class won’t be the first time they’ve seen serious competition. What started in 2010 as a zero-emissions class at the yearly Isle of Man TT motorcycle race is now dominated by electric bikes, and they’re quickly catching up to their gas-powered counterparts.
Meanwhile in Australia the local superbike championship has run an eFXC electric Formula Xtreme class since 2011.
While Formula E relies on carbon-neutral glycerine generators to recharge its cars between sessions, Ezpeleta wants the new MotoGP support series to use solar panels.
“We want the batteries to be recharged from solar panels, not from generators like in other championships,” added Ezpeleta. “This way, we can leave something profitable for the circuits where the series races.”
Today, a transmission dies, a smaller crossover appears, Oregon wants to give car salespeople money, and the fossil-fuel industry may soon apparently run the EPA. All this and more on Green Car Reports. The case has faded into history, but the CEO of failed electric-car charging provider 350 Green has pleaded guilty to fraud charges and will go to... 
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class luxury sedan is hardly viewed as green, even if it'll soon have a plug-in hybrid version offered in small numbers. But driving the most recent generation provides a nice case study of the improvement in gas mileage over three decades of updates to the core product that helped build Mercedes into the powerhouse it is... 
Vehicle engineering and development focuses heavily on passenger cars and light trucks, but what about other forms of transportation? In an effort to cut congestion on its roads, the country of Norway is experimenting with the idea of autonomous, electric ships to replace large semi trucks, reports Gas2. Not only do semi trucks clog roadways, but... ![Natural gas flaring from oil well [licensed under Creative Commons from Flickr user Sirdle]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/natural-gas-being-flared-from-oil-well-licensed-under-creative-commons-from-flickr-user-sirdle_100443858_t.gif)
While much of the nation's capital is preoccupied with the unpredictable Trump administration and its possible ties to Russia, the fate of the Environmental Protection Agency generates less news coverage. That's not to say there hasn't been news. Administrator Scott Pruitt is proceeding swiftly with a radical plan to restructure—critics... ![Electric Avenue charging stations in Portland, Oregon [photo: Portland General Electric]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/electric-avenue-charging-stations-in-portland-oregon-photo-portland-general-electric_100532762_t.gif)
The Beaver State, otherwise known as Oregon, may implement an intriguing solution to spur higher sales of electric vehicles. A new piece of legislation introduced in the state senate calls for a $1 million fund to provide $250 bonuses to salespeople each time they sell an electric vehicle, according to Charged. The bill would, however, exempt... 
The former CEO of electric-car charging network 350 Green pleaded guilty last week to fraudulently obtaining federal grants intended to be used for installation of public charging stations, notably in the Chicago area. The original 2011 announcement of the grants came with large fan-fare, but the company never remotely delivered on what was... 
Today, a new configurator, a flawed study, compact crossover gas mileage, and a remarkable claim by a large carmaker. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Saturday, we published our usual Week in Reverse roundup of top stories from last week. Yesterday, we highlighted new laws in Fremont, California, that require new homes to have solar panels... 
The Volt remains the undisputed king of the Canadian plug-in electric vehicle market. In April, the Chevy Volt enjoyed its 13th consecutive month as Canada's best-selling plug in electric vehicle, and its 46th month overall. While overshadowed by other vehicles in its home U.S. market, the Volt's leadership of the Canadian plug-in segment recalls... 
It was one of several common tropes used 10 years ago against proposed regulations to boost average fuel economy. "More efficient cars will have to be lighter-weight, and they'll be unsafe because in accidents, they'll crumple up like Kleenex." Logical conclusion: if you require higher fuel economy in cars, more people will die in crashes. DON'T...