Monday, July 9, 2007

Vectrix eyes fuel cells for electric bike

By Efrain Viscarolasaga

Newport, R.I.'s Vectrix Corp. has launched an all-electric, zero emissions scooter for energy-conscious riders. But while the current iteration of the bike runs on a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack, executives said future versions could employ fuel cell technology from Southborough's Protonex Inc.

The current Vectrix electric scooter, now being launched in the United States, is a two-wheeled vehicle that is capable of reaching 62 mph. It can go 40 to 60 miles on a single charge, which takes about three hours to generate from a standard 110-volt outlet, according to the company.

"At 62 mph (for a top speed), and zero to 50 in 6.8 seconds, this is a real machine," said Jeff Morrill, director of marketing for Vectrix's efforts in the United States.

The company is producing about 150 bikes per week in its manufacturing plant in Poland, while it continues research and development in its local plant in New Bedford.

Officials hope to develop additional zero-emission vehicles in the future, and fuel cell technologies may play a part, said Morrill.

Vectrix and Protonex (along with mutual partner Parker Hannifin Corp.) demonstrated such a project two years ago, and although that project was put on the back burner for Vectrix to focus on its all-electric bike, officials from both companies say they hope to revisit the project in the future, possibly as early as the first quarter of next year, according to Morrill.

Since its founding in 2006, Vectrix has raised $80 million through various unnamed investors, Morrill said.