KillaCycle is a cordless whiz

FLAMING TORCH: Long, lean and powered by batteries, the world's fastest electric bike, KillaCycle, is coming to New Zealand.

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The world's fastest electric motorbike is heading to New Zealand and is expected to scorch Kiwi speed records.

The NZ$145,000 KillaCycle, described by its makers as "a giant cordless drill with wheels", can go from 0kmh to 100kmh in one second.

It has a top speed of 274kmh.

"It's just insane how fast this thing is, you'd have to hold on pretty tight," Kiwi businessman Philip Court said.

He has talked the KillaCycle's owner, Bill Dube, into paying a visit to New Zealand from his base in the United States.

"I've been talking to him for a year and a half. He's champing at the bit to get down here."

Mr Court hoped the visit would boost interest in green technology, especially among young people.

"It's the younger generation that are going to notice this technology and embrace it."

Mr Dube and the KillaCycle aim to break the New Zealand quarter-mile top-speed record of 7.615 seconds during a race meeting at the Meremere dragway in January.

The motorbike was the first electric vehicle to break the eight-seconds barrier in drag racing,and has a best time of 7.82 seconds.

"They will have just fitted a new battery pack by then so they're pretty hopeful they can do it," Mr Court said.

The KillaCycle's acceleration comes from its electric motor, which puts out 500 horsepower as soon as the throttle is squeezed.

It almost lived up to its name in a nasty accident two years ago.

Mr Dube was lucky to survive after he crashed it into a parked car at high speed, while giving an impromptu demonstration.

"I think he's stopped doing that now," Mr Court said.

There is already a high performance electric motorbike on the market the American-built Mission One, which retails for NZ$100,000.

Click play below to see video of the KillaCycle:

- © Fairfax NZ News