A new “green” motorbike designed by KU students is set to make history this summer by competing in the world’s first zero-emissions Grand Prix on the Isle of Mann.

The battery-powered bike, which has the ability to reach speeds of 102 mph, has been designed by six final-year engineering students and will compete against 24 other eco-bikes at the ‘Time Trials Xtreme Grand Prix’ on June 12.

Azhar Hussain, the founder of TTXGP motorcycle race, said: “Kingston has seized the moment to be a player on the global stage. Should they succeed, then the exposure for Kingston will be priceless and will outlive the event for years to come.”

Despite running on non-fossil fuel, the “green machine” is expected to clock-up an average of 70 mph around the 38 mile mountainous course, and can be charged from a standard household socket.

Paul Brandon, KU course director for motorsport and motorcycle engineering, said: “Being green doesn’t have to mean slow. There are too many sceptics when it comes to electric vehicles but we all need to reduce our CO2 output and this initiative is taking a huge leap in that direction.”

The bike has no internal combustion engine, no exhaust system and no fuel tank and will run from a custom-built, 72-volt battery. The overall C02 usage, including that to generate the batteries, will be around 50 per cent less C02 than a petrol or diesel-power bike.

Mr Brandon added: “The energy density of batteries is far less than that of petrol or diesel so how we manage the energy we carry is critical to our success in the race. The ideas we and others put to the test on the racing circuit are the ones most likely to become commonplace on the road.”

It has a whole vehicle efficiency of 90 per cent compared with 70 per cent a petrol-based vehicle wastes. This means the bike will waste only 10 per cent of the energy it carries.

Mr Hussain said the team of eight KU staff and students will be racing “formidable competition” from around the globe on one of the “most challenging” road race courses when facing other eco-bikes from America, India, Italy, Germany and Austria.

But he added: “What the Kingston University team has done is extraordinary in speed and scope given the resources available. It feels like an adventure in the making.”

The motorbike, unveiled to motorcycling enthusiasts, guests, staff and students on April 22, has gone through many facelifts since the project began as part of the students’ final assessment last October.

Gonzalo Carrasco, a KU student and team member, said: “People need to realise that this technology is the future. By entering green races and building green designs we are hoping policy-makers will see the potential for this technology and start investing in it.”