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BOLT

BOLT's goal is to develop internationally competitive, high-performance electric motorcycles that will exceed the capabilities of combustion motorcycles.

Two team members works on the Bolt motorcycle.

What is BOLT?

The mission of BOLT at Virginia Tech is to build an all-electric motorcycles and compete in the AHRMA eMotoRacing series. The BOLT team is dedicated to evolving electric vehicle technology through design, construction, and demonstration of a high performance electric motorcycle and, as a competition based team, strives for nothing but the best performance on the track.

By challenging the standards of performance, the team expects to increase the viability of clean emissions motorsports. With few commercially available products to meet the requirements of a winning electric powertrain, BOLT team members learn to think outside the box and solve unique engineering challenges. Designing and hand-building a motorcycle which harmonizes with the talents of elite and highly-skilled riders is no light undertaking, and there is little room for error or complacency. BOLT is a valuable experience for students, requiring professional attitudes, innovative thinking, and the drive to succeed.

Two Bolt team members work on the Bolt motorcycle.
Two team members push the the Bolt motorcycle from their transport trailer.
A team member works on the Bolt motorcycle.
The Bolt team works on their design on a laptop.

Who can join? 

We are an interdisciplinary design team for undergraduate engineering students at Virginia Tech. We also recruit a few business students for marketing and sponsorship contacts.

Awards

The 2012 first generation BOLT went undefeated in class and won the North American Championship. The 2014 second generation BOLT competed in an AHRMA eMotoRacing sprint race, placing first in the all-electric category. The 2017 third generation BOLT placed second in an AHRMA eMotoRacing event.

Fast Facts

Team size: About 50 members
Department Afiliation: Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering
Workshop: Ware Lab