In recent years, numerous European countries and some US states have Considerable efforts to ban internal combustion engine cars in big cities. The ripple effect of these bans could transform the motorcycle industry as we know it now, and it may be wise to Start taking electric motorcycles a little more seriously. Zero Motorcycles is way ahead of the curve and has made significant strides to become the world’s leading manufacturer of electric motorcycles with an impressive lineup of 100 percent electric motorcycles.
To convinced motorcycle enthusiasts, the thought of no clutch and no gears sounds like pure heresy. However, if you look at popular brands like Harley-Davidson and Ducati is already one step ahead in electrification, Plug-in culture could be the future of motorcycling. Zero Motorcycles is a start-up that believes in zero emissions. It achieved its goal through an unprecedented combination of revolutionary “smart” bicycle technology, industry-leading performance and traction. But since that’s not all about Zero, here’s what we know about the all-electric motorcycle company so far.
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Zero was founded in 2006 under a different name
Neal Saiki, a former NASA engineer, founded Zero Motorcycles in Santa Cruz, California in 2006. Registered as Electricross at the time, Neal worked as CEO and CTO on the development of electric motorcycle technology, including electric motors, lithium-ion batteries, and motorcycle frames.
Through his innovation as an aerospace engineer, Neal led his team to create the company’s first prototype electric motorcycle, dubbed “The Drift”. At a time when there wasn’t a single mass-produced electric car or motorcycle on the market, the 140-pound electric bike was not only exciting to ride, but a revolutionary masterpiece for its time.
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The Zero X gets the ball rolling
After changing the company name from Electricross, the company renamed the Zero logo in 2017 to highlight its zero emissions theme. Zero had already made waves in Santa Cruz with the drift prototype and thrilled the local dirt bikers and professional mountain bikers. So it made sense to focus on off-road bikes in order to enter the motorcycle market.
The Zero X was Zero’s first bike and had two switches; one for torque and the other for top speed. Although the Zero X didn’t have a long range or high top speed, its electric powertrain was powerful and quiet. The motorcycle opened up new driving possibilities and formed the DNA for the current Zero motorcycle range.
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The world’s first 24-hour electric off-road event
In 2009, Zero Motorcycles proudly hosted the world’s first 24-hour electric motorcycle race. Zero staged the off-road event, labeled the 24 hour electric horse, in the heart of San Jose at a local off-road motorcycle park.
The racing event spanned a staggering 1,015 laps and 502.1 miles, with the winning team setting a world record. All ten participating teams managed to cross the finish line, an incredible statement about the durability of Zero electric motorcycles.
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The first street legal Zero motorcycle hit the market in 2009
Although Zero Motorcycles was successful with off-road motorcycles, the first street-legal motorcycle didn’t hit the market until 2009. And although the range and top speed were limited to 80 miles and 60 mph, the Zero S made headlines zero motorcycles as the world’s first street legal. The day Zero launched the Zero S, it generated so much interest that the company’s website crashed.
The Zero S also marked an important milestone for the start-up. Corresponding Top speed, the bike was the world’s first street-legal electric supermoto to go into mass production. The Zero S rocked an all-new body and chassis that paved the way for the Zero DS, a street-legal motorcycle for off-road enthusiasts.
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The Zero S ZF6 boasts salt flat records
In 2012, Brandon Miller rode a Zero S ZF6 motorcycle on the Bonneville Salt Flats, reaching a speed of 101.652 mph, averaging a distance of one mile. After completing several runs during the four-day event, he broke the land speed record previously set by an electric motorcycle.
As reported by Motorcyclist, Brandon set two new speed records for a fully electric motorcycle at the Bonneville Shootout Event. After recording 102.281 mph over the half mile, he set another speed record, the FIM record for modified production motorcycles weighing less than 330 pounds.
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The Zero Motorcycle App
As the world’s leading supplier of electric motorcycles, Zero Motorcycles launched the Zero Motorcycles app in 2013. The Zero Motorcycles app was developed for both Apple iOS and Android devices and is the world’s first mobile app with the ability to control the performance characteristics of a production motorcycle.
The app is connected to the bike via Bluetooth and archived or live motorcycle information is transferred from the bike to the app on the owner’s mobile device. For the first time in history, a rider could easily adjust the motorcycle’s torque, top speed and regenerative braking within seconds. And with the new Cypher III + feature, owners can purchase significant performance enhancements in a virtual marketplace.
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Zero Sells color sets
If you decide to purchase a motorcycle, you can choose the color preference that the bike will have for the entire period of ownership. Well, unless you take it to an after-market dealer for a custom paint job. With Zero bikes, however, owners can approach motorcycle colors a little differently.
If the owner changes their mind about the color after purchase, Zero Motorcycles offers a select selection of color kits for customization. The kit includes tank, front and rear fender covers that are relatively easy to install. Riders have the freedom to combine different colors on their bikes and bring them back to their original hue if they ever get bored.
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You can run, but you can’t hide
Since zero motorcycles have no gears, clutch, or noise, they provide the perfect stealth solution for law enforcement. By 2011, police authorities had discovered the benefits of electric motorcycles for event safety and crowd control. Today, more than 80 parks and law enforcement agencies across the United States, not to mention police in cities like Bogota and Hong Kong, rely on Zero motorcycles in their daily work.
In addition, the camouflage and speed of electric motorcycles make them perfect for covert military use. Since 2012, Zero Motorcycles has been launching military motorcycles, offering essential switchgear, custom tires, and replaceable batteries.
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Zero Motorcycles have achieved racing success
Zero Motorcycles scored their first ever road racing success in the first ever North American Electric Superbike Race. Sean Higbee, an engineer with the company, won the 2010 TTXGP eGrand Prix at Sonoma Raceway, California. Another Zero engineer, Kenyon Kluge also won the very first TTX75 class race for the company and dominated the eSuperstock class in the subsequent series.
After partnering with Hollywood Electrics, Zero Motorcycles won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Production class in 2013, the competition included an electric motorcycle division for the first time. In 2014 the Zero FX was the first electric motorcycle to break the 12-minute mark. Between 2013 and 2015, Zero Motorcycles was successful in the race for the clouds; Three consecutive years of victories in the series electric motorcycle class.
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Zero offers motorcycles for multiple markets
Zero Motorcycles has been in the industry for over 14 years and has managed to deliver motorcycles to multiple markets during that time. Although the company sells motorcycles in almost 30 countries, sales are concentrated in Europe and the USA
The company’s production models include Zero S, Zero SR, Zero FXS, Zero DS, Zero DSR, Zero FX, Zero FXE, Zero SR / F, and Zero SR / S. The current range of motorcycles includes road, road racing, supermoto, dual sport, dual sport racing and motocross fields.
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