One strong contender is Mission Motorcycles, the San Francisco-based company behind the $30,000 R, an all-electric bike that goes from 0 to 60 mph in a stunning 2.7 seconds. 

Although technical challenges abound and cultural images of motorcycles don't exactly overlap with the appeal of eco-friendly power, Mission believes electricity is the way forward.

We spoke with Mark Seeger, CEO of Mission Motorcycles (and, full disclosure, a personal friend of mine — though I don't invest in his company nor do I plan to buy one of his bikes) to find out why he believes the all-electric motorcycle can sell.