One hangup for a lot of folks unsure of electric drivetrains is the cost. Most electric cars are out of the price range a majority of the population can afford, at least right now. Costs will go down as the technology spreads.

Brammo is getting a head start though, dropping the sales price of their Enertia Electric Motorcycle from $11,995 to $7,995, a 33% cut in price on a motorcycle that has only just hit the scene.

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British company e-Motive has launched a range of electric scooters in the UK and, at prices starting from just £1399 ($2300), is hoping to kickstart a zero-emission revolution.

The e1, e3 and e5 debut models are powered by the latest electric motor and battery technology, are road tax exempt, and cost as little as one pence per mile to run.

Speaking about the launch, e-Motive Managing Director, Paul Williams, gushed, “The reliability, rideability and all-round consumer package that comes with these scooters finally makes owning and running a zero-emissions vehicle affordable, supremely practical and desirable.”

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Spectators at next years Sonoma Showdown at California’s Infineon Raceway will be treated to something they’ve never seen before - the nation’s first ever zero-carbon motorcycle race.

The Sonoma County event, known as the Time Trial eXtreme Grand Prix, will form part of the AMA Motorcycle Sonoma Showdown weekend, May 14-16.

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British company Mavizen, the outfit behind the eGrandPrix, has launched the world’s first production electric supersport bike, - the TTX02, available as a limited edition from April 2010.

The bike, unveiled on Tuesday at the SEMA Show 2009 in Las Vegas, has been called a “laptop on wheels” and is the first motorsport vehicle in the world to ship with integrated IP connectivity. It also boasts a USB based system bus that allows a “virtually unlimited” number of peripherals to extend the capabilities of the machine with plug’n’play.

According to the man behind the outfit, Azhar Hussain, “This is about giving everybody access to the best tools so they can go racing and have a stab at making history.” (More pics after the jump).

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At the tail-end of last week’s Tokyo Motor Show Suzuki unveiled an exciting e-scooter concept, the Burgman, powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and a li-ion battery.

Suzuki says that the innovative powertrain would enable the Burgman to reach distances of up to 220 miles at an average speed of 30kph (20mph) - so no wild freeway jaunts just yet then.

However, the company also reckon that performance will be comparable to a standard 125cc scooter (but I’d imagine that riding at higher speeds would most likely significantly reduce range).

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