The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) has formed a task force to study the issues surrounding electric motorcycles and other vehicle segments in the powersports industry. While the task force’s participants aren’t being named, almost all the major OEM manufacturers are involved, as well as most of the electric motorcycle producers. While the groups hasn’t finalized its priority list of issues, performance standards and consumer education seem to be top-billed action items for the task force, as group looks to create fair comparisons between the budding industry and entreached ICE market.
Headed by Paul Vitrano, who is also the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, the task force sees the group’s role being similar to the MIC’s helmet task force that gathered issues involving helmet of regulation proposals. For now the group is not a formal committee, and is still formulating its key issues after its first meeting in May, but has targeted performance and consumer topics as being on the list.
Regarding performance standards, the MIC would like to see a program similar to the EPA’s “driving cycle” implemented on EV’s. This would allow for direct comparisons not only between electric motorcycles, but also between electric and gas bikes. The MIC also wants to standardize the way companies portray their performance figures, and begin using standardized terminology and testing methodology, which would allow consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.
For more information on the work of the Electric Vehicle Task Force, or to joint the group, interested parties can contact Paul Vitrano at the SVIA.
Source: Dealer News
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