Voxan

Founded in 1995, Voxan was originally a French motorcycle manufacturer based in Issoire, France.[1][2] The brand was particularly known for its atypical design and its V-twin engine open at 72° of 996 cc.[1][2] Initiated by Jacques Gardette, the project was to build the first French motorcycle company in the global market involving different partners.[1] Alain Chevallier designed the chassis, while Sodemo Moteurs focused on the engine.[1] The first prototype was shown in 1997, and the first production model released in 1999.[1]

Voxan Motors
IndustryMotorcycle
Founded1995
FounderJacques Gardette
Headquarters
Fontvieille, Monaco
,
Monaco
OwnerGildo Pallanca Pastor
ParentVenturi Automobiles
Websitewww.venturi.com/en/voxan-motors/

On 2 June 2010, the Monegasque company Venturi Automobiles announced the purchase of the brand which had been in compulsory liquidation since December 2009. Its president Gildo Pallanca Pastor led Voxan in the same direction as Venturi Automobiles by orienting it towards electric motorisation. In 2013, Wattman, the first electric motorcycle developed in Monaco, was born.[3]

History
Voxan Café Racer
Voxan Black Magic
Voxan Charade Racing

Founded by Jacques Gardette in 1995, and financially backed by the Dassault Group in 1996, Voxan set out to become the first French motorcycle manufacturer in the modern era.[1] In 1999, the first model, the limited production Roadster, was delivered to dealerships and sold exactly 50 units.[1] The company then launched the Café Racer model in 2000,[4] and the Scrambler model a year later.[1] Although Voxan had garnered support for its products within France, the company continued to struggle against the established Japanese and Italian brands.[1] In June 2002, Didier Cazeaux and Société de Développement et de Participation bought Voxan to ensure its continuity, and production restarted on April 1, 2003.[1] The Street Scrambler model was released in 2003,[1] and the Scrambler and Black Magic models in 2004.[1] Voxan opened its 23rd dealership, and its first in Luxembourg in May, 2005. In October, 2007, Voxan had an initial public offering on Euronext,[5] with both Sodemo Moteurs, and Fortune Terres Luxembourg considering takeover bids.[6][7][8]

On December 22, 2009, Voxan was forced into liquidation, and is now a subsidiary of the Monaco-based Venturi Automobiles.[2][9] Upon acquisition Voxan's manufacturing department ceased production, and its engineering staff were relocated to Venturi's headquarters in Fontvieille, Monaco.[2] In June 2010, Venturi announced Voxan's new eco-friendly corporate plan, evolving the creation of an electric motorcycle by 2013.[9]

Wattman electric motorcycle

The Wattman is the brand's first electric model, released in 2013. Designed by Sacha Lakic, this electric motorcycle delivers a power of 150 kW (203 bhp) for an instantaneous torque of 200 Nm up to 10,500 rpm. At the time, it was the most powerful electric motorcycle ever built, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 s.[10]

The Wattman is currently being developed in a high performance version by Voxan's engineering team in Monaco. This new version, also designed by Sacha Lakic, aims to beat the current world speed record for electric motorcycles, set at 329.085 km/h by Ryuji Tsuruta on a Mobitec EV-02A (in the category "One-wheel drive, partially streamlined electric motorcycles weighing less than 300 kg").[11]

Models

Former models
YearNameProductionReference
1999-2009RoadsterYes[12]
2000-2009Café RacerYes[13]
2001-2009ScramblerYes[14]
2003-2009Street ScramblerYes[15]
2001VB1Yes[16]
2004Black MagicYes[17]
2004Black ClassicYes[17]
2006Charade RacingYes[18]
2007GTV 1200No[19]
2007Starck Super NakedNo[20]
2009VX-10No[21]
2013WATTMANNo[22]

References
  1. Autoevolution (2008–2012). "Everything about VOXAN - Voxan Brand History". Autoevolution. SoftNews NET. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. Electro Velocity (2011). "Venturi buys Voxan Motorcycles". Electro Velocity. Best Green Blogs. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  3. Tibu, Florin (2013-12-02). "Voxan Wattman, Probably the Most Awesome Electric Motorcycle of the Planet". autoevolution. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  4. Cormier, Jason. "Voxan - Café (Racer) Français". www.odd-bike.com. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  5. VOXAN-SCCM | European Equities originally at europeanequities.nyx.com; (archived copy at archive.is) accessed 28 April 2018
  6. Business - Liquidation : Guillaume Maillard (Sodemo) : les liquidateurs de Voxan n'ont pas fait leur travail Voxan's liquidators did not do their job, Paris, 17 February 2010, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  7. Voxan en liquidation judiciaire faute de repreneur Voxan in liquidation for lack of buyer, Paris, 29 December 2009, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  8. Voxan : le repreneur luxembourgeois confirme son intérêt [Voxan: the Luxembourg buyer confirms their interest] (in French), Moto Mag, retrieved 11 April 2018
  9. Motorcycle.com (2010). "Venturi Automobiles buys Voxan motorcycles". Motorcycle.com. Motorcycle.com Forum Network. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  10. Motorcycle.com (2013-12-02). "2014 Voxan Wattman Electric Motorcycle Claims 200hp and 148 ft-lb". Motorcycle.com News. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  11. www.topspeed.com https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-news/voxan-motorcycles-hits-the-salt-for-a-new-speed-record-ar185860.html. Retrieved 2020-05-14. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. Essai VOXAN 1000 Roadster Bluffant! Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Roadster: "Amazing"!, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  13. Voxan Café Racer (...born for the expert...), at autoevolution.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  14. Essai VOXAN 1000 Scrambler La moto plaisir Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Scrambler - the pleasure bike, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  15. Essai VOXAN 1000 Street Scrambler Street, Scrambler ou les deux? Reader Test- VOXAN 1000 Street Scrambler- Street, Scrambler or both?, at moto-net.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  16. Voxan VB1 1000 2001 De la haute couture- Fiche moto - MOTOPLANETE Voxan VB1 1000 2001 High Fashion- Bike file - MOTOPLANETE, at motoplanete.com, accessed 11 April 2018
  17. "Fredoc Black Magic 55". web.mac.com/fredoc2. Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  18. Voxan Charade Racing Archived 2008-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
  19. News moto 2008 : Voxan GTV 1200 - Moto Station, accessed 11 April 2018
  20. A quick look at Voxan’s French V-twin range and the Starck Super Naked concept at The Biker Gene Archived 2012-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 12 April 2018
  21. Moto Infos : Essai du VOXAN VX10 Bike Info: VOXAN VX10 Test
  22. Voxan Wattman becomes the Most Powerful Production Electric Motorcycle Ever Naveen Soni, 10 December 2015, at bikedekho.com, accessed 12 April 2018
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