Harman Patil (Editor)

TT Zero

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Date
  
10 June 2015

John McGuinness
  
John McGuinness

2. Bruce Anstey
  
3. Lee Johnston

Location
  
Douglas, Isle of Man

113.06 mph
  
119.279 mph

TT Zero

Course
  
Road Course37.73 mi (60.72 km)

TT Zero – an electric motorsport event new for the 2010 Isle of Man TT races – replaced the TTXGP race as a 1-lap (37.733 miles) circuit of the Snaefell Mountain Course. The TT Zero event as an officially sanctioned Isle of Man TT race is for racing motorcycles where "The technical concept is for motorcycles (two wheeled) to be powered without the use of carbon based fuels and have zero toxic/noxious emissions." The Isle of Man Government offered a prize of £10,000 for the first entrant to exceed the prestigious 100 mph (22 minutes and 38.388 seconds) average speed around the Mountain Course.

Contents

The inaugural 2010 TT Zero race was won by Mark Miller riding a MotoCzysz E1pc motor-cycle in 23 minutes and 22.89 seconds at an average race speed of 96.820 mph for 1 lap (37.733 miles) of the Mountain Course and the first United States winner since Dave Roper won the 1984 Historic TT riding a 500cc Matchless. The TT Zero race replaced the 2009 TTXGP franchise, won by Rob Barber riding a Team AGNI motor-cycle in 25 minutes and 53.5 seconds at an average race speed of 87.434 mph for 1 lap (37.733 miles), with the simplification of the regulations and the emphasis on electric powered motor-cycles. The MotoCzysz E1pc was also the first American manufactured motor-cycle to win an Isle of Man TT Race since Oliver Godfrey won the 1911 Senior TT with an Indian V-Twin motor-cycle. The 2010 TT Zero race also produced the return of semi-dustbin fairing permissible under the TT Zero regulations and adopted by some entrants, but banned by the FIM since 1958 for racing motor-cycles.

Entrants

  • Entrants must be in possession of a valid National Entrants or FIM Sponsors Licence for Road Racing.
  • All motor-cycles must comply with Appendix D of the ACU National Sporting Code Group A1 for solos.

    • Machines

    Description

  • Prototype electrically propelled motor-cycles. Powered solely by stored electricity (battery/accumulator)

    • Weight

  • Motor-cycles minimum weight is 100 kg and up to 300 kg. Weighed in race ready mode.

    • Accumulator (storage battery)

  • The accumulator is defined as any equipment used for the intermediate storage of electrical energy supplied by the solar generator or by the charging unit. Any on-board accumulator is considered as an integral part of the vehicle’s accumulator. All on-board electrical equipment, unless consisting of items originally powered by dry batteries, small accumulator or their own solar cells, must receive its energy supply from the vehicle’s official accumulator.

    • Voltage

  • The voltage is limited to 500 volts between two points.

    • Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems

  • It is permitted to recover energy generated by the kinetic energy of the vehicle using a Regenerative brake or Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS).

    • Aerodynamic aids and Streamlining.

  • The competitor must be completely visible from either side, except for the riders hands and forearms which may be obscured by bodywork.
  • Bodywork in front of the rider must not be higher than the competitor's shoulders.

    • Official Qualification Time

  • 45 minutes an average speed of 50.31 mph for 1 lap of the Mountain Course without stopping.

    • 2010 TT Zero Race

    10 June 2010 1 Lap (37.773 Miles) Mountain Course.

    Fastest Lap and New Inaugural Lap Record:Mark Miller – 96.820 mph (23' 22.89) on lap 1.

    2011 TT Zero Race

    9 June 2011 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.

    Fastest Lap and New Race Record: Michael Rutter – 99.604 mph (22' 43.68) on lap 1.

    2012 TT Zero Race

    6 June 2012 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.

  • (9 Starters)

    • Fastest Lap and New Race Record: Michael Rutter – 104.056 mph (22' 23.97) on lap 1.

    2013 TT Zero Race

    5 June 2013 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.

  • (10 Starters)

    • Fastest Lap and New Race Record: Michael Rutter – 109.675 mph (20' 38.461) on lap 1.

    2014 TT Zero Race

    4 June 2014 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.

  • (9 Starters)

    • Fastest Lap and New Race Record: John McGuinness – 117.366 mph (19' 17.300) on lap 1.

    2015 TT Zero Race

    10 June 2015 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.

  • (9 Starters)

    • Fastest Lap and New Race Record: John McGuinness – 119.279 mph (18' 58.743) on lap 1.

    2016 TT Zero Race

    7 June 2016 1 Lap (37.73 Miles) Mountain Course.

  • (7 Starters)

    • Fastest race lap by year

    (practice & qualifying session laps not included)

    (*)note special conditions

    The 2016 winning time failed to improve on the 2015 time not because of any lack of technical improvements, but due to Anstey backing off to secure a safe win, having passed his main rival McGuinness who paused mid-race due to accidentally engaging the 'kill switch'. On finishing the race, Anstey said; "the bike still has lots of battery left" (riders would normally try to utilize all the battery capacity during the race). The Victory team's 2016 lap speed improved by 4 mph over their 2015 speed. In general the TT Zero lap speeds have been improving at an average rate of around 4 mph each year since the series began (119.279 mph as of 2015), and thus could achieve 130 mph by around 2020, and catch up with the gasoline bikes in subsequent years. The Superbike TT lap records typically improve by 0.5-1 mph each year, with 2016 record of 133.393 mph.

    References

    TT Zero Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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