Custom Electric Moto Mania Set for LA’s Petersen Museum

[Hugh Janus]

Hugo Eccles’ award-winning “XP Zero” futuristic cafe racer is built on a Zero SR/F platform. (Petersen Automotive Museum/)

In 2019, LA’s Petersen Automotive Museum launched the world’s first exhibition featuring only electric motorcycles. The event, titled “Electric Revolution” and curated by Paul d’Orleans from The Vintagent blog, showcased 21 EV bikes, including mostly customs from e-innovators like Cake, Curtiss Motorcycles, and Blatant Moto, and a few OEM electric steeds, including the 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

Following major pauses across the moto industry due to the pandemic, Petersen returns with a follow-up show Thursday, April 14, 2022, in the Richard Varner Family Gallery. The 2022 event, now called “Electric Revolutionaries,” will emphasize not just the bikes but also the builders.

At 100 pounds, Walt Siegl’s “RONTU” takes minimalism in moto design very seriously. (Petersent Automotive Museum/)

Petersen aims to provide “an exclusive look at the groundbreaking creations of the visionaries at the forefront of the ever-expanding electric motorcycle industry.”

And from the looks of the machinery, such as Eva Håkansson’s “KillaJoule” electric land-speed racer and Huge Eccles’ “XP Zero,” this goal will be easily achieved. The show, once again curated by Motor/Cycle Arts Foundation co-founder Paul d’Orleans, will feature more than 25 custom electric motorcycles.

Eva Håkansson’s “KillaJoule” is one fast electric land-speed racer. How fast? How about 240.7 mph! (Petersen Automotive Museum/)

“I’m super excited to assemble this wildly diverse collection of EV pioneers,” d’Orleans said. “‘Electric Revolutionaries’ really does represent the range of interest in an electric future, from a humble teen in Ghana making EVs from scrap, to genius artisans building conceptual and boundary-pushing designs, to speed demons and global superstar designers interested in pushing mobility into the green zone.”

Producing the exhibit are the Motor/Cycle Arts Foundation and Sasha Tcherevkoff, with support from LiveWire and Damon Motorcycles as contributing sponsors.

“The One” by Curtiss Motors takes influence from modern hypercars for this ultrafuturistic custom. (Petersen Automotive Museum/)

Highlights will include:

• “KillaJoule,” the land-speed racer that delivered its creator Eva Håkansson the title of the fastest woman on an electric motorcycle with a run in 2014 of 240.7 mph. The custom EV was built with limited funds by Eva and her husband at their home.
• Solar-powered “Solar Scooter” and “Solar Rickshaw,” both built by Ghanaian teenager Samuel Aboagye “using only salvaged, discarded, and recycled materials that he could source for free,” Petersen said in a press release.
• “The One” by Curtiss Motors, a retro-futuristic design conceptualized by JT Nesbitt that takes influence from hypercars, will make its worldwide debut.
• “NOMOTO” by Joey Ruiter, which “camouflages as utilitarian street furniture and his geometric “Moto Undone” concept.”
• “RONTU” from the iconic <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/walt-siegl-motorcycles-custom-builder-and-designer/" target="_blank">Walt Siegl</a>. This 100-pound custom electric moto features an ultraminimalist style void of bodywork built from carbon fiber and aluminum.
• Hugo Eccles’ avant-garde “XP Zero,” an award-winning “radical reinterpretation of a production <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/2020-zero-motorcycles-srf-review/" target="_blank">Zero SR/F</a> into a futuristic cafe racer.”
• Custom LiveWire built for Hooligan racing by SMCO.

How cool is this custom LiveWire built for Hooligan racing by SMCO founders, brothers Aaron and Shaun Guardado? (Petersen Automotive Museum/)

“It is incredible how far electric motorcycles have come in the short time from our first exhibit in 2019,” said Terry L. Karges, Petersen Automotive Museum executive director. “This new display gives a unique and close-up look at the innovative machines and the creators behind them pushing the boundaries of motorcycle electrification and design. The detail, level of craftsmanship, and unorthodox thinking behind these electric motorcycles make them must-sees.”

For tickets and other information, visit Petersen Automotive Museum.

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[Tym]

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