There's been a huge amount of news about the Tesla electric sports car. But should the thing never actually hit the market, Vectrix recently announced that it built a prototype, fully electric superbike that can reach speeds of 124 mph.

For now; Vectrix is selling the ZEV (pictured above), which is $12,000, can hit 62 mph, and is also fully electric—so there's hope for the superbike. Plus, the company announced today that it just delivered a ZEV to Global Green, a Hollywood-based environmental group known for its partnership with Brad Pitt to build green housing in post-Katrina New Orleans. More details on how the ZEV works after the jump.

The ZEV model name stands, appropriately, for "Zero Emissions Vehicle." To charge it, you pull out the power cord—like it's an overgrown vacuum—and plug it into any 110-volt outlet. It charges in just 3 hours. To start it, you put the kickstand up, press the ON/OFF switch, and pull in the right brake. The regenerative braking charges the battery about 10 to 12 percent in use. The thing is almost completely silent, so they put in the multiple-step startup procedure as a safety mechanism. For a nice demonstration, check out the YouTube video.

Vectrix claims the ZEVs have a 60 mile range and can hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds (which, admittedly, is pretty much its top speed.) (And I keep typing "Vectrex" instead of "Vectrix" and having to correct myself, because I'm obsessed with vintage game systems. But that's another story.)

Post by Jamie Lendino