Smooth ride

17th November 2017

Caroline Hayes

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This electric motorcycle is silent but has battery-powered propulsion for acceleration without vibration, heat or noise, says Zero Motorcycles.

The Z-Force battery produces up to 116 ft-lb of torque, claimed to be the highest power and energy density in the EV industry, and which is in excess of that of a 1,000cc gas-burning sports bike. The Z-Force motor contains only one moving part, is sealed and air-cooled, and requires no routine maintenance. It has a five year, unlimited mileage warranty. The motor is more than 90% efficient, for a bike that requires four times less energy than a conventional, petrol/gas motorbike.

The electric bike (seen at IDTechEx 2017, Santa Clara, California) is also silent, and vibration-free, says the company. Other benefits over a conventional motorbike is that there is no emissions, no noise pollution, no oil to change, no fluids to leak, and no routine maintenance needed.

E-motorcycles are economical- the company claims that total cost of ownership is less than equivalent internal combustion motorcycles, and with reduced maintenance and fuel costs. The Zero SR motorcycle

A mobile app, for iOS or Android uses a Bluetooth connection to the bike to allow the rider to customise performance parameters, such as torque, speed and levels of regenerative braking. The free-of-charge app also enables the motorcycle's firmware

Range is determined by battery capacity, speed and riding habits, cautions the company. With the optional Power Tank accessory, the Zero SR is capable of over 220 miles in the city and 110 miles on the highway. Zero FX and Zero FXS models have an optional modular power pack system that allows batteries to be swapped in less than one minute.

For charging, every model has a built-in charger that turns any household 110/220V outlet into a fueling station. Depending on battery capacity, charging can take from a few hours to overnight.

The 6kW Charge Tank option increases this to six times fast charging at home or on the go. It is compatible with J1772 charging stations, and reduces charge times to one to two hours. The Charge Tank and onboard charger can be operated together to deliver 7.3 kW of charging that provides up to 103 miles of riding per hour. A scalable Quick Charge system is available for rapid charging at home or office.