Curtiss Motorcycles has launched a crowdsourcing campaign for electric motorcycles

Birmingham, Alabama, Curtiss Motorcycles
Matt Chambers, chairman and CEO of Curtiss Motorcycles, with the Zeus. Photo for Bham Now

You’ve seen crowdfunding for things like apps or new businesses, what about crowdfunding for electric motorcycles? Matt Chamber, CEO and Chairman of Curtiss Motorcycles, is hoping you’re into it. 

Screen Shot 2018 11 30 at 5.33.34 PM Curtiss Motorcycles has launched a crowdsourcing campaign for electric motorcycles
Glenn Hammond Curtiss, namesake of Curtiss Motorcyles and the 1907 “World’s Fastest Man.” Photo via Curtiss Motorcycles

Curtiss Motorcycles

Curtiss Motorcycles, formerly Confederate Motors, has its home base in Birmingham. You can find the luxury motorcycle manufacturer hidden away on 2nd Avenue South. 

When they rebranded, they decided to go all in with electric motorcycles. They just recently rolled out the production version of their all-electric flagship model, Hera. (picture below). The Hera model is inspired by Glenn Curtiss (Curtiss Motorcycles’ namesake), and the record-setting ride that earned him the title “The Fastest Man on Earth” in 1907.

hera Curtiss Motorcycles has launched a crowdsourcing campaign for electric motorcycles
The Hera model, aka the “Hot Rod Goddess.” Photo via Curtiss Motorcylces on Facebook

“Hera helps to further define our clean, simple, and modern aesthetic, while simultaneously paying tribute to one of history’s most exciting motorcycles.”

Curtiss Twitter account

Wefunder: Equity Crowdfunding 

The company has launched a Wefunder site for equity crowdfunding. Their hope is that the crowdfunding will help accelerate the launch of electric motorcycles. The company noted that one of its goals is to disrupt the electric motorcycle market just as Tesla disrupted the electric car market.

Their Wefunder pages lists these 6 things as “reasons you may want to invest”:

  1.  Sold over 1,000 high-end production motorcycles to high-net-worth individuals around the world.
  2.  All-Electric Zeus Concept Prototype named “Most Innovative Motorcycle” at the prestigious  2018 Quail Motorcycle Gathering
  3.  30 years experience pre-selling, designing, and building high-end luxury motorcycles. 
  4.  Direct-to-consumer sales and distribution model
  5.  125K+ Facebook Followers
  6. 33,100+ Instagram Followers

Interested in investing in the future of electric motorcycles?  You can find their Wefunder page here.  

A Few Specs to Ponder

For those who need the hard numbers, here are the specs on Zeus, the first electric model:

  • The Zeus prototype features a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack, powering the world’s first E-Twin power unit, a set of two high-output electric motors driving a common output shaft. 
  • Using a proprietary battery and electronics architecture, Hera’s design features eight “cylinders” of high-density lithium-ion batteries.
  • The million dollar question: how fast will it go? Well, in 1907, the legendary Glenn Curtiss earned the title “Fastest Man on Earth” when he reached 136.3mph on Ormond Beach in Florida. Still in design phase, the all-electric Hera promises even greater speeds than her gas-powered 1907 predecessor.
  • Zeus’ wheelbase measures 62-inches, while Hera’s is elongated.

As the Hera model is so new, the specs are in the works. However, Chambers did tell us this about Hera:

“With Hera, we set out to create the world’s most luxurious motorcycle. Featuring the world’s first V8 battery architecture, an ultra-powerful, yet refined, E-Twin motor and a 66-inch wheelbase, Hera will occupy a class all her own.”

Matt Chambers, chairman and CEO of Curtiss Motorcycles

Are you excited about the future of electric motorcycles? Learn more about Curtiss Motorcycles here. 

Lauren Bedford
Lauren Bedford
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