Zero S Electric Motorcycle Ships at $9,950

May 2, 2009 - 12:15 pm | 124 views

Technology.am (May 2, 2009) — The Zero S electric Bike is made by Santa Cruz, California based Zero Motorcycles. The breakthrough for electric vehicles was only possible when the lithium ion cells for power tools reached the market in 2004.

zero-s-electric-motorcycle The Zero S electric motorcycle is the only typical street bike, weighs only 225 pounds with 31 horsepower. Its maximum speed averages 60 mph, though it can reach 70 mph, making it less practical for highway use.

When you twist the throttle, feel the powerful acceleration 62.5 pound-feet of torque and hear no sound except a slight clanking from the chain. There’s no clutch and no gears.

According to Zero Motorcycles CEO Gene Banman, the Zero S is the first in its class ready to ship. Zero S is made for daily use, meaning making trips up to 60 miles, which is the maximum range on a single charge. The charging takes 4 hours on 110 volts to complete.

Banman estimates the Zero S releases just an eighth of the total carbon dioxide of a gas motorcycle. Zero S ships at $9,950, where as gas motorcycle such as the Honda 230M and the Yamaha WR 250X comes at a price of $5,400 and $6,200 respectively.

The cost per mile for charging the battery of Zero S is about 1 cent; it saves about 4 cents a mile compared to a gas motorcycle. But the 80-pound battery needs replacement in every five years. The battery costs some $5,000, though Banman hopes that will come down drastically in a few years.

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