NEW YORK — Paul Teutul, Sr., is one smart businessman, promoting his Orange County Choppers on TV shows ranging from American Chopper to the tabloid/reality series Jon & Kate Plus Eight. His latest effort, however, is something special — a custom electric motorcycle for German auto supplier Siemens, dubbed the Siemens Smart Chopper.
The electric bike — OCC's first such two-wheeler — is powered by a 27-horsepower motor from Advanced DC and features recycled materials, as well as an on-board charger and LED lights from Osram Sylvania, a Siemens subsidiary. The bike has a range of 60 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of 100 mph.
OCC founder Teutul said: "Building an electric bike from recycled materials was something new for us, but we definitely enjoyed the challenge and think that the end product makes a great addition to our wide range of unique motorcycles. While electric bikes probably won't surpass traditional ones for the foreseeable future, we also think that energy-efficient technologies are increasingly important for both manufacturers and consumers."
To be auctioned off for charity, the Smart Chopper will be featured in an October 22 episode on TLC's American Chopper.
Inside Line says: This one sure beats that cute pink moped that the Teutuls did recently for Kate Gosselin. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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