(Source: Autoblog)

Earlier this week, Brammo’s director of product development Brian Wismann along with Dave Schiff of Crispin Porter Bugosky, began a ten-day journey meant to take them from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Washington, DC. The 520 mile trip, which is being chronicled on the site shockingbarack.com, is intended to raise awareness of the company’s new electric motorcycle, the Enertia, and electric vehicles in general.

The trek began at Zingerman’s deli in downtown Ann Arbor, MI, which just happens to be a a few blocks from this blogger’s office. Brian and Dave swung by the office for a visit to show off the bike – which they prefer to call a powercycle – and chat about what it can do. Along the route to the capital, they’ll be making plenty of similar stops, partly to demonstrate the bike but mostly out of necessity. While the Enertia is undoubtedly a neat ride, it underscores two of the major problems with EVs. They are expensive ($11,995 for the Enertia) and have limited range. This bike only has a 42-mile range and then takes four hours to charge. That means plenty of short hops to cover the 520-mile distance to DC.

The Brammo team has built a nice website that has a plenty of brilliant ideas to get the community involved (not just transportation geeks and gear heads with greasy finger nails). Here are some ways you can help the  Brammo team achieve their goals:

• Share an Outlet (to charge their battery packs)
• Spare a Couch (The team says: “If you live along the route and we can crash on your couch or floor let us know. We’d be genuinely happy to meet and hang out with you, and we’d be considerate guests in your home. You can email us or use or use couchsurfing.com.”)
• Help them meet Barack (The team says: “If you know Barack Obama, or you know someone who knows him, or you’re friends with someone who knows someone who knows him, please contact us. We’d be grateful for any help you can give us in meeting him.”)

So, are you ready ShockBarack (Oh man, won’t the republicans would die for that chance?)? If yes, just visit the team’s website to follow their progress. As we speak, the Google Map shows they are somewhere near Aurora, OH.   The team’s video logs of the journey are quite interesting and it is nice to see what all they endure as they make their way to Washington, DC battling some really nasty weather.  At least they will have a great story to tell their grand children someday, if not to Barack.

NOTE: Guys, Transportgooru would love to have a cup of coffee with  you when you arrive here in DC .  That is what you will be craving for before you even shake hands with Barack after driving in this damp & cold miserable weather (Tweet me @transportgooru).