Photos: Tero Saarinen
"There it goes, overtaking even gasoline bikes!"
Feelings of relief, joy, disbelief, and excitement run through the team that built LUT’s electric motorcycle as they watch top rider Eemeli Lahti skillfully handle the electric speedster without issues on the Kymiring track.
Best of all, LUT’s electric motorbike, JHC Ukkonen, achieves a better lap time than the electric motorcycle from the University of Twente from the Netherlands. Ukkonen records a lap time of 2:02 on the 4.5-kilometer track, while Twente’s electric bike has to settle for 2:16.
“We’ve been waiting for this!” exclaims Ukkonen’s chief designer and builder, Head of Development Marko Kasurinen.
Months of problem-solving, reassembly, stress, and uncertainty about the outcome are finally over. Ukkonen works – and works brilliantly.
Kasurinen notes that interest in LUT’s electric motorcycle, JHC Ukkonen, is clearly growing.
"When people see that the bike performs well on the track, interest increases. This is the third version of Ukkonen, and unlike previous versions, this one doesn’t need to be dismantled in the fall. We managed to cut the battery weight in half for these test runs, making the bike especially agile in corners. We fine-tuned the final settings together with Eemeli, based on his feedback. When a top rider says Ukkonen is great to ride, we have every reason to be satisfied!"
On Saturday, August 10, the Finnish Superbike Championship race was underway at Kymiring racetrack, and JHC Ukkonen, along with Twente’s electric bike, was set to compete in an exhibition race before the main event. However, rain foiled those plans, as Ukkonen was not built to be waterproof.
"The most important thing for us was seeing that the bike works and runs well – and that we managed to beat the Dutch!" Kasurinen grins.
Sports federations take environmental action
JHC Ukkonen could very well bear a sticker saying “Pioneer of the Electric Revolution”. Developed in the J. Hyneman Center’s prototype workshop, Ukkonen represents a future where motorsport competitions take place with emission-free and silent vehicles.
The environmental impacts of motorsport events is recognized within the industry. The Finnish Motorcycling Federation (SML) – which oversees motorcycle, snowmobile, and quad sports – states that every competition held in Finland must have a trained environmental manager. The same applies to international competitions, which follow the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) Ride Green regulations.
In 2022, the E-Moto category was established to promote the electrification of motorsports. This category includes both electric motorcycles and electrically assisted bicycles.
“The Motorcycling Federation has also taken concrete environmental actions. We awarded the environmental prize to the ‘KISS Päijänne’ project, whose environmental benefits have multiplied over the years during the Päijänne Enduro race.
Since 2017, the race has been conducted with shared service vehicles, reducing over 200 passenger cars from overall traffic. In distance terms, this means 100,000 kilometers saved annually,” says Kaisa Lökfors from the federation’s communications team.
On the four-wheeled side, a rally competition in Kokkola offset its emissions by planting 200 tree saplings, while Finland’s World Rally Championship event, Secto Rally Finland, aims to become completely carbon-neutral by 2030.
However, the environmental burden of motorsports does not come solely from race vehicles. According to some estimates, the emissions from race organizers and spectators traveling to events are the greatest polluters in the equation.
In Finland, electric motorsports is still in its infancy, while internationally, electric racing vehicles have become more common. However, some see MotoGP’s electric series as more of a promotional PR effort than a true competition.
"Since Ducati is the main force behind the MotoGP e-series motorcycles, it’s likely that consumer versions of these race bikes will eventually become available," estimates Marko Kasurinen.
Power, silence, and affordability are appealing
The vice-chair of the Ring Race Club motorcycle association, Simo Sälemaa, believes that people are still in a wait-and-see mode when it comes to the development of electric vehicles.
"It will likely take another 5–10 years before electric motorcycles and cars become common in motorsports. The development could be rapid, though. Who would have believed ten years ago how popular electric cars are now? Alternative materials, such as various biofuels, will also undoubtedly reshape motorsports in the future," Sälemaa says.
"And biofuels can actually provide more power than gasoline."
The chairman of the Finnish Motorcyclists' Association (SMOTO), Jarmo Jokilampi, sees two major factors shaping the future: changes in legislation and the consumption habits of young people.
"Currently, no driver's license category – except for mopeds – can be obtained using an electric vehicle without a '78 automatic transmission vehicle' restriction on the license. If this law were changed, it would have a significant impact on attitudes and, of course, the environment," Jokilampi explains.
The second key factor, he says, is young people, as the popularity of electric mopeds is already growing rapidly.
"The range of electric mopeds on a single charge can be up to 80 kilometers, which is quite a good figure. Additionally, an electric moped is silent and cheaper for a young person to use compared to a gasoline-powered one."
According to Jokilampi, noise is the most annoying factor for people during the motorcycle season, and SMOTO receives a considerable number of complaints about it.
"In this regard, electric vehicles are unmatched," he notes.
Professional racer Eemeli Lahti says that riding electric motorcycles has not yet sparked an urge to buy one, as he puts it.
"Once electric bikes outperform gasoline versions, I believe I'll truly get excited about them. Of course, I hope to see more electric vehicles in the industry. Ukkonen is doing a great job in showing the way," Lahti says.
The JHC prototyping lab is as rebellious as the trio running it
The trio runs the JHC prototyping lab at LUT University and usually avoids the spotlight.
JHC Ukkonen
- Weight: 199 kg
- Battery: 9 kWh
- Charging time: ~1 hour
- Racing power: 90 kW
- Top speed: 250 km/h
- Acceleration (0–100 km/h): ~3 seconds
- First version built in 2020
More information:
Marko Kasurinen
