White Motorcycle Concepts and Pininfarina Collab on Hybrid Motorcycle Design
White Motorcycle Concepts and Pininfarina have joined forces to work on an intriguing new electric hybrid motorcycle design
White Motorcycle Concepts (WMC) is partnering up with Italian design giant Pininfarina on an aerodynamic design that could shape the future of the motorcycle industry in years to come.
WMC founder and CEO Robert White spoke on 6 March about the new design at Pininfarina’s 95th anniversary celebration event, while also showing off the brand’s WMC250EV electric land speed record bike, WMC300E+ three-wheeled first responder bike and the recent WMCSRS, designed with Zero Motorcycles.
What the partnership is aiming to achieve is a demonstration of how White Motorcycle Concepts’ patented aerodynamic duct can be merged into a future street motorcycle that is powered by a compact forced induction hybrid powertrain.
The duct was first demonstrated aboard the WMC250EV to illustrate its ability to significantly reduce aerodynamic drag at high speeds. As seen in previous applications from WMC, air is funnelled through the bike from underneath the handlebars and released from under the rider’s seat – reducing drag to improve fuel efficiency.
In 2023 WMC unveiled its WMC300AE which landed as a hybrid conversion built around the Yamaha Tricity, and after a successful period where it was used as a police bike, it then went up for sale to the general public.
“It has been a true pleasure collaborating with Pininfarina on these initial imaginings of how our patented duct could be incorporated into a new motorcycle design with a compact forced induction hybrid powertrain. I am particularly proud of how we have managed to make the duct both a structural and style feature on a faired and naked concept,” said Robert White, CEO of White Motorcycle Concepts.
“The duct concept has always been about improving efficiency no matter the fuel source, but this collaboration has taken this to the next level showing how the duct can provide functional performance as well as be an aesthetic feature for future motorcycles.”
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
