By WONG YUN WEN

"Green" seems to be the buzzword in the automobile industry of late, with companies showcasing their eco-friendly technology by coming up with their own contributions to the environment.

Motorcycles, on the other hand, was relatively out of the spotlight in the race to be green, a fact California-based Mission Motors capitalized on in introducing their entry to the green world – the Mission One EV Sport Bike.

Created by the famed designer Yves Behar, Mission One sports a slick aluminum coat accentuated with a honeycomb body. The company claims the Mission One can achieve a top speed of 150mph and an estimated range of 150 miles on a single charge.

It runs on high-energy lithium-ion battery, which can be fully recharged in less than two hours at 240V or eight hours at 120V. With its linear torque curve, the Mission One can achieve peak torque of 100lb-ft at zero rpm from rest to 60mph.

The first 50 limited edition Mission One EV Sport Bikes will be released in 2010 at $68,995 each, with plans to unveil more affordable models this summer. 

Mission Motors