If you spend enough time around custom motorcycle shops, you get used to seeing rare machines. Custom throttles, hand-hammered aluminum tanks, and pristine vintage restorations are part of the daily landscape. But during a recent visit to Gasoline Motor Co. in Waterloo, Sydney, I bumped into something that completely redefined what two-wheeled engineering can be: the Arc Vector electric hyperbike.
Seeing an Arc Vector in person is a rare event. According to official liquidator filings and industry updates, only 11 production units were ever built and delivered worldwide before the company shuttered operations.
Here is the story behind this ultra-rare $120,000 British electric motorcycle, what the team at Gasoline Motor Co. shared about it, and the fascinating engineering and financial journey behind its creation.
Stepping Into Gasoline Motor Co.
Located on Bourke Street in Sydney’s Waterloo district, Gasoline Motor Co. is renowned as one of Australia’s premier custom motorcycle workshops and dealerships. Known primarily for building bespoke cafe racers, scramblers, and heavy-hitting customs, it is the kind of place where modern craftsmanship meets traditional garage culture.
While chatting with the crew on the shop floor, the conversation turned to the hyper-exclusive gold-and-carbon machine sitting under the workshop lights. The team highlighted how different the Arc Vector is from anything else on the market—not just because it runs on watts rather than high-octane fuel, but because of its radical structural architecture.
During my time at the shop, I captured a brief close-up look at the machine’s intricate carbon weave and hub-center setup:
- Watch the On-Site Clip: Seeing 1 of only 11 Arc Vectors in the World (Reize Productions)
Engineering Breakdown: What Makes the Arc Vector Unique?
Designed by former Jaguar Land Rover engineer Mark Truman, the Arc Vector was conceived to be “the world’s most advanced electric motorcycle.” Rather than adapting a traditional chassis to fit an electric powertrain, Arc built the bike from the ground up around three core innovations:
1. Hub-Center Steering (HCS)
Traditional motorcycles rely on telescopic front forks that compress under braking, changing the wheelbase and geometry. Historical hub-center steering systems (like the Bimota Tesi or Yamaha GTS1000) attempted to separate steering from suspension, but often suffered from a dead, vague feel and upward lift during hard braking.
Arc solved this by positioning the front swingarm pivot point below the wheel center. As reported by Australian Motorcycle News, this geometry allows the front end to dive naturally like a conventional fork under heavy braking, while eliminating stiction and allowing for much softer spring rates without bottoming out.
2. Carbon-Fiber Monocoque Architecture
The Arc Vector has no traditional frame. Instead, a custom carbon-fiber “tub” houses the 399-volt, 16.8 kWh battery package. Both the front and rear carbon-fiber swingarms bolt directly into this structural battery enclosure, saving significant weight.
3. Human Machine Interface (HMI)
Arc intended the Vector to be ridden as part of a integrated ecosystem:
- The Zenith Helmet: A custom helmet featuring a built-in Head-Up Display (HUD) and rear-view camera.
- The Origin Jacket: A tactile rider jacket equipped with embedded haptic feedback sensors. The jacket vibrates on the left or right shoulder to alert the rider to blind-spot traffic and pumps bass audio directly through sensory feedback.
Key Technical Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
| Powertrain | 399V Permanent Magnet AC Electric Motor |
| Peak Power | 117 hp (87 kW) – 133 bhp depending on trim |
| Torque | 128 lb-ft (174 Nm) at motor |
| Acceleration | 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) in 3.1 seconds |
| Top Speed | 124 mph (200 km/h) — electronically limited |
| Battery Capacity | 16.8 kWh |
| Claimed Range | ~200 miles (320 km) urban / ~120 miles (190 km) highway |
| Curb Weight | 220 kg (485 lbs) |
| Chassis | Carbon-fiber monocoque battery housing |
| Front Suspension | Hub-center steering with dual Ohlins shocks |
| Original Retail Price | ~$120,000 USD / £90,000 GBP |
(Data gathered from Motorcycle Specs and Wikipedia Arc Vector Entry).
The Tumultuous History of Arc Vehicles
The story of the Arc Vector is as dramatic as its design. Despite critical acclaim and celebrity backing—including high-profile owners like actor Ryan Reynolds—the business faced significant head-winds:
- Inception & JLR Backing (2017–2018): Arc Vehicles debuted the Vector concept at EICMA Milan in 2018 with financial backing from Jaguar Land Rover’s InMotion Ventures.
- First Financial Stumble (2019): When key investors pulled out in 2019, the original company entered administration before commercial production could scale.
- The Resurrection (2020–2022): Founder Mark Truman bought back the assets and IP to form Arc V Ltd, securing fresh capital and completing final road testing.
- Production & Deliveries (2022–2023): Arc began hand-assembling customer units at its UK facility. However, high manufacturing costs and complex homologation requirements limited production. A total of only 11 bikes were delivered to customers worldwide.
- Voluntary Liquidation (2024): In March 2024, as detailed by Visordown Industry News and TopSpeed, Arc V Ltd filed an extraordinary resolution to wind up operations due to US distribution hurdles and funding shortages.
Final Thoughts
Seeing an Arc Vector up close at Gasoline Motor Co. was a stark reminder of how far motorcycle design can be pushed when engineers ignore traditional limitations. While the business challenges of bringing a $120,000 boutique electric hyperbike to market ultimately proved insurmountable, the Vector remains an iconic milestone in two-wheeled technology.
With only 11 units in existence across the globe, getting to examine one in person in Sydney is an experience any motorcycle enthusiast will hold onto for a long time.
External References & Further Reading
- Gasoline Motor Co. Sydney Official Site
- Arc Vehicle Official Engineering Division
- Visordown: Arc Vector Maker Goes Into Liquidation
- Australian Motorcycle News: Arc Vector Tech Analysis
- Wikipedia: Arc Vector Specifications
- Reize Productions YouTube Short: Arc Vector Encounter