Lightning LS-218
The LS-218 tried to prove an electric motorcycle could be exciting because of its battery, not in spite of it.
Lightning LS-218 at the 2015 SBK FIM Superbike World Championship · Daniel Hartwig · CC BY 2.0
More than a set of wheels.
Lightning unveiled the production-style LS-218 at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering in May 2014 and delivered the first customer bike that November. Its name came from a pre-production machine's 218 mph pass at Bonneville; that record-run figure must not be mistaken for a production road-test result.
Look a little closer.
Before the customer bike arrived, Lightning's electric racer won the motorcycle division overall at the 2013 Pikes Peak hill climb against gasoline machines.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
The famous 218 belonged to a timed racing ancestor
Lightning said a pre-production LS-218 achieved a 215 mph two-way average and a 218 mph top speed through Bonneville timing lights. The production bike borrowed the number as its name, but Joyride keeps that closed-course record separate from a certified street-bike maximum speed.
Source: Lightning Motors · May 2014 LS-218 release ↗A first-generation electric halo bike
The launch LS-218 paired a 12 kWh standard battery with race-grade suspension, Brembo brakes and light wheels. Optional 15 and 20 kWh packs traded extra mass for more claimed range. Later LS-218 specifications gained power and battery capacity, so they are not backdated into this 2014 record.
Source: Wired · first 2014 customer LS-218 ↗Where these facts come from
- Lightning Motors · May 2014 LS-218 release
- Lightning Motors · first customer delivery
- Wired · first 2014 customer LS-218
- Contemporary LS-218 launch specification
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.