Electric motorcycle manufacturer and MIT researchers are setting the pace for electric vehicles that rely on lithium battery power. Brammo Motorsports says it will begin selling an electric motorbike next year that tops out at 50 mph and can go 45 miles on a single charge.

The Enertia will use six lithium-phosphate batteries from Valence Technology of Austin, Texas. While most "open-roaders" like to take the occasional trek of several hundred miles, on paper the Enertia seems like it a suitable replacement for scooters or small bikes that commuters use to go around town, with the advantage of being able to be recharged nightly without having to be dependent on gas stations. Even at the cost of several thousand dollars the Enertia could be attractive since the fuel bill would be measured in pennies.

Valence Technology's batteries, which the company says are safer than lithium ion batteries, are also being used in an all-electric Porsche 914 being converted by MIT engineering students of professor Yang Shao-Horn. Valence will receive helpful performance data as the company moves towards commercialization of its battery technology.

Getting to tool around in an electric Porsche and work with cutting-edge battery technology at MIT's Electrochemical Energy Laboratory -- now that sounds like a fun semester.