VOLUME 58 ISSUE 46 NOVEMBER 16, 2021 P33
Voxan, Biaggi Take To
Kennedy Space Center
E
lectric motorcycle brand Vox-
an and its new Wattman land
speed racer are continuing in
their pursuit of FIM Land Speed
World Records. Starting on
Monday, November 15, the Vox-
an Wattman, piloted by six-time
World Champion Max Biaggi,
will set out for some "ultra-high-
speed" testing at Space Florida's
Launch and Landing Facility at
NASA's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida. At 15,000 feet (2.84
miles), it is one of the longest
runways in the world.
The Voxan Wattman was ready
to stretch its legs on the mas-
sive Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia in
the summer of 2020, but the trip
was canceled due to the pan-
demic. In an abrupt plan B, Max
Biaggi and the Voxan took to an
airfield runway in France where
they set 11 world speed records.
The team is now eager to take
the next steps on the promis-
ing electric-powered machine,
which will run in two separate
categories: partially streamlined
and naked.
A new Voxan-Saft battery
design allows the Wattman to
now compete in the sub-300-kilo
category. The pouch cells used
in the battery make it possible
to increase the power by nearly
80 times, compared with around
10 times for standard products.
The Wattman utilizes a Mercedes
EQ Formula E powertrain that
delivers 320 kW with 1360 Nm
on tap.
There is no official word in
the release regarding specific
speeds Biaggi will be aiming for,
but it does state that "Once the
new Wattman is ready, further
world record attempts will be
made—certainly within the first
six months of 2022," which sug-
gests a trip to Australia's Lake
Gairdner for the annual DLRA
meet, which typically happens in
early March.
CN
Max Biaggi will be testing
the new Voxan Wattman
electric land-speed
motorcycle at the Kennedy
Space Center this week.
Next stop, Australia?
