What a difference a year makes. Zero Motorcycles has a new scooter, a new CEO, a new corporate home, a new concept bike and apparently, a new direction. We’ll get to the 2026 lineup in a moment, but first the back story.

If you don’t follow Zero Motorcycles closely you might be surprised just how much the company is changing as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026 and rolls out its 2026 lineup.

Whether you’re a Zero insider or not, it’s apparent the veteran EV motorcycle company has changed its strategy.

Instead of pouring all of its resources into developing expensive, top-tier, long-distance bikes, it’s now diving headfirst into what it no doubt hopes is a higher-volume market; that shifts the near-term emphasis from its U.S. roots to overseas.

The changes actually started several years ago when Zero outsourced most of its assembly line work to IMI in the Philippines.

Then this fall Zero announced two major bombshells. It is moving its global headquarters from California to the Netherlands, and then in November announced a sudden CEO change.

Pierre-Martin Bos replaced long-time CEO Sam Paschel, who is stepping into a senior board advisory role.

At the same time, there’s concern in the Zero community that the SR/S sport touring model might be on the way out, although that hasn’t been confirmed by EV Rider.

The concern arose because the SR/S doesn’t appear in Zero’s first video showing the 2026 model lineup. However, at the time of this video and story’s posting, the SR/S was still listed on Zero’s U.S. and European websites.

Now the biggest news: Zero is launching a new urban Scooter called the LS1.

It sounds like a fantastic urban runabout with 71 miles of range and a roomy storage area under the seat that’s big enough to fit a helmet. Or, riders can opt to add a third battery to increase the range to 106 miles. By the way, we’re talking urban miles here, not U.S. interstate miles. The LS1 scooter’s top speed is expected to be 62 miles per hour when it reaches showrooms.

U.S. EV fans won’t be getting a chance to check the LS1 out anytime soon. It’s not coming to the states, according to multiple reports from sources like Ride Apart, Motorcycle.com and Electrek. But you’ll find plenty of video of the LS1 in the EV Rider episode at the top of this post.

Deliveries in other parts of the world are expected to begin by the end of 2025.

Meanwhile, Zero’s bigger bikes that are meant for interstate use are getting minor updates. Zero hasn’t made any public mention of DC-fast charging coming anytime soon.

The SR/F is getting a modest refresh with aero strakes and a redesigned belly pan. The changes are expected to enhance airflow, while it looks like base models of the bigger bikes will now come with 15.6 kWh batteries as standard.

Speaking of airflow, there was also no mention of what looked to be a very promising range gain. In 2024 White Motorcycle Concepts and Zero showed off an SR/S with a new pass-through aero system that resulted in a 10% reduction in drag, which yielded a range gain of between 7 and 9 percent during highway testing. You can see the prototype in the video report at the top of the post.

Zero Motorcycles 2026 Launch Video (story continues below)

But that was two years ago and the SR/S aero concept still hasn’t made production. Given the focus on other models in Zero’s 2026 model year launch video, there’s a real question of how much longer the SR/S will remain available.

Zero, if you’re watching this video or reading this post, please consider dropping a note in the commentts or emailing me about the future of the SR/S for 2026 and beyond so I can update this story with more definitive information.

Now back to the good news: Zero is offering more affordable bikes in the lower end of the market for new riders; especially in Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific.

Zero Motorcycles Lompico Concept EV Motorcycle

Zero is also showing off a new concept bike called the Lompico that will include what Zero says is an all-new operating system called Cypher 4.

That bike also looks like it will be aimed an urban-commute audience since it’s expected to have an 8.8 kWh battery, compared to the 17.3 kWh battery offered in Zero’s current top tier models.

The entry level XB and XE bikes are also returning for their second model year, although they aren’t still aren’t street legal here in the U.S. The XB has a U.S. list price of $4,395, which is the most affordable Zero ever made.

Meanwhile, the price of the new LS1 scooter is expected to slide-in under $10,000, since it’s part of Zero’s All Access initiative, which has a goal of six new models priced under $10,000. The LS1 includes standard traction control and ABS.

For new urban riders in many parts of the world, 2026 looks to be an exciting year to consider a Zero now that it has a more affordable lineup.

But for existing customers looking for a reason to upgrade their bigger, more expensive Zeros, they’ll need once again content themselves with the phrase, “maybe next year.”

More Zero Motorcycles Coverage

200-Mile EV Motorcycles May Be Coming Soon

Roundup Of 2025’s EV Motorcycles

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Top 10 EV Rider Videos Of 2024

Zero Motorcycles Unveils 2 New Models & Concept Bike For 2025

22k Mile Review: Zero SR/F Gets Better With Age

The post Zero Motorcycles’ Big Pivot For 2026 appeared first on EV Rider.

As good as EV motorcycles have gotten the past few years the next breakthrough should make them more appealing to traditional gas motorcyclists that enjoy long distance touring.

If you’re a regular EV Rider viewer chances are good you know some fellow motorcyclists who say they’d never consider an EV due to relatively short range and charging limitations. While that’s been a fair criticism from motorcyclists that do long distance riding, it appears we’re about to see some technical breakthroughs leave the labs and head to the assembly lines that will likely finally put that argument to rest.

The most exciting developments come courtesy of Ducati and Volkswagen along with Farasis, which supplies batteries for Zero as well as Samsung, which supplied LiveWire One batteries.

Let’s start with Volkswagen and Ducati. They unveiled a solid-state battery at the IAA Mobility trade show in Munich that will debut in Ducati’s V2IL’s electric racing bike.

Ducati’s EV, which isn’t publicly available for sale, has been used in MotoE’s World Cup since 2023. The current bike has an 18 kWh battery with 20-kW DC charging.

While Ducati didn’t announce specs, you can expect much better power density from solid state and then there’s this nugget that Ducati did announce: the new pack will charge from 10-80% in under 13 minutes.

Solid state batteries have higher energy densities and ditch some components like liquid electrolytes, which means you can also expect significant weight savings.

Then there’s Farasis Energy, which supplies the battery pouches for many of Zero’s motorcycles.

At this year’s China International Battery Fair, Farasis announced it has a semi-solid state battery solution for motorcycles that promises to balance cost and performance.

That likely means we’ll see a significant battery range and charging speed jump when the next-gen Zeros are introduced, perhaps as soon as 2028. This is my own speculation and has not been confirmed by Zero.

It also would make sense to roll out a new higher voltage architecture at the same time, finally giving Zero’s flagship bikes DC fast charging. Zero’s last battery jump was in 2022 when its largest battery pack went from 14.4 to 17.3 kWh.

More EV Motorcycles Coverage

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Next up is LiveWire, which is owned by Harley-Davidson.

Currently the largest battery available in a LiveWire is the One’s 15.5 kWh pack, which has cells provided by Samsung. Samsung is also working on solid state batteries, with plans to get them into mass production in 2027.

LiveWire also recently trademarked the name S4 Honcho.

In its original product roadmap, LiveWire indicated its upcoming S4 motorcycle would be a heavyweight, implying it would have the biggest battery in the lineup. 

However, before getting too excited, it’s important to note that LiveWire moved away from Samsung cells for its trio of S2 models, and neither LiveWire or Samsung has confirmed any plan for another joint battery project.

Then there’s tiny, boutique California motorcycle maker Lightning, which has been working with the Enevate battery company. They claim to now have a lithium-ion 24-kWh battery pack that can add 135 miles of range in less than 10 minutes when DC charging.

Lightning says the new battery is good for 160 miles at 70 miles per hour. The solid state battery that Ducati is showing off would likely do even better, perhaps surpassing 200 interstate miles.

To put all of it into perspective, the current record holder in terms of a battery that is actually on roads: the Energica Experia’s 22.5-kWh pack is good for roughly 120 or so miles of interstate travel and Verge isn’t far behind with a 21.8 kWh battery option.

EV motorcycle fans have seen overly optimistic promises before but what makes this time different is established players are making the claims.

Plus, major automakers like Mercedes, Stellantis and Toyota have also announced solid state batteries are much closer to being production ready.

Put it all together and it likely means the dream of a true, fast-charging 200-mile EV touring bike is closer than ever.

Editorial disclosure: The motorcycle pictured in the upper right hand side of the video thumbnail graphic at the top of this post is a rendering generated by AI.

The post 200-Mile EV Motorcycles May Be Coming Soon appeared first on EV Rider.

A lot has happened in the EV motorcycling industry over the past year. While a good number of new models have been introduced, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows.

It’s time for EV Rider’s 2025 look at the state of the EV motorcycle industry.

Zero Focuses On Affordable Motorcycles For 2025

As this episode was being uploaded, deliveries were about to begin for the two new Zero Motorcycles models introduced for the 2025 model year, the XB and XE.

They are at the low-end of the EV motorcycle market, which seems to be where most of the action is this year.

While it’s great to see the XB and XE finally in production, they really are more along the lines of beginner bikes than motorcycles. For starters, they aren’t street legal here in the states, meaning they’re pretty much limited to private land and dirt bike trails.

The XB and XE be taking on the popular Sur-Rons, which are a step above electric bicycles, but are also limited to off-road use.

LiveWire Expands Lineup

LiveWire, which is owned by Harley-Davidson, has filled out its line with the recently introduced S2 Alpinista, which it describes as a sport bike standard. It’s very similar to its S2 Del Mar and Mulholland siblings.

I’ve personally ridden more than a hundred miles on the Mulholland and came away impressed with the build quality, handling and acceleration, but all three have small 10.5 kWh batteries so LiveWire fans that like to get out of town on the weekends will probably instead look at the LiveWire One, which has a 15.5 kWh hour battery and DC fast charging.

However, if they want the most range currently available in the EV motorcycling space with a somewhat affordable price tag, then Zero is the brand to look at here in the the U.S. We’ll get to Zero’s long-range offerings in a bit.

Verge TS EV Motorcycles

The EV company perhaps making the most waves this year is Verge Motorcycles, which has finally gotten its TS bikes on roads.

Verge is unique in that it uses a futuristic-looking hub rim motor design and offers what is currently the industry’s largest battery pack available in the U.S., checking in at 21.8 kWh.

Energica was the previous record holder with a 22.5 kWh battery but unfortunately that Italian motorcycle maker declared bankruptcy last year and is currently being liquidated.

Verge’s bikes feature a big touchscreen where a gas tank would normally go and the Ultra model has six cameras for a full 360-degree view along with front and rear radar, bringing automotive-like blind spot safety features to motorcycles.

Verge’s bikes also accel at charging with a peek DC charging speed of up to 25 kW and 3.5 kW when using Level 2 AC chargers.

While Verge’s bikes are exciting, here in the U.S. there are only two stores in the entire country, one in Los Angeles, the other in Santa Clara, CA. Pricing is also out of reach for most riders with the TS Ultra checking in at more than $45,000 once taxes and fees are added.

That leaves Zero to carry the biggest chunk of the EV touring torch here in the U.S. with its SR/F, SR/S and DSR/X lineups.

Those motorcycles currently have 17.3 kWh batteries while a second 3.6 kWh battery can also be added, bringing the total capacity to 20.9 kWh.

Zeros with an optional AC Rapid Charger can reach a peak charging speed of 12.6 kW. The extra battery or Rapid Charger goes in the same location so you can only opt or one or the other – not both.

For long distance touring the other option is the LiveWire One with its smaller 15.5 kWh battery but faster DC charging that peaks at 25 kW in ideal conditions.

There are other new entries in the shorter distance per charge end of the market.

Cam-Am Gets Back Into Motorcycle Business

Can-Am is in the process of rolling out its Origin and Pulse EV motorcycles, which marks its return to building motorcycles after exiting the market in 1987. From a pricing and range standpoint they’ll be competing primarily with the LiveWire S2 models.

The Pulse streetbike is the cheaper of the two at $14,000. They look to be atractive urban commuters but their batteries are even smaller than the LiveWire S2 models, checking in at just 8.9 kWh.

Then there’s Kawasaki’s  Ninja e-1 ABS an Z e-1 ABS with an estimated range of just 41 miles, which is less than some electric bicycles. And forget about taking them on the interstate. The Ninja e-1’s top speed is just 65 miles per hour while the Z e-l manages 63 mph. In both cases that’s using e-boost mode. The sustained top speeds without e-boost modes engaged are 55 mph for the Ninja e-1 and 53 mph for the Z e-1.

Also expected to enter the U.S. market sometime in 2026 is Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea C6 and S6 EV lineup. Final specs haven’t been announced but all signs point to it being yet another urban commuter with a battery size that’s likely to be under 10 kWh.

There is a ton of other stuff out there but most of it isn’t available in the U.S. and this video is sticking with motorcycles – no scooters, no e-bicycles and no vaporware like Damon.

EV Motorcycle Cottage Industry

The last category is the cottage industry, which is the extremely low volume stuff like Lightning and Curtiss Motorcycles. They exist but probably aren’t making more than a few dozen bikes a year – if that.

Finally there’s Shandoka, which is converting old Japanese motorcycles to EVs. EV Rider got to try out one of Shandoka’s conversions last year. You’ll find a link to that video at the end of this one.

And that sums up the state of the EV motorcycle industry here in the U.S. in 2025. If I missed anything let me know in the EV Rider YouTube comments section.

The post Roundup Of 2025’s EV Motorcycles appeared first on EV Rider.

Electrics at the Dragon had its biggest turnout yet this year with dozens of motorcyclists riding or trailering in their EVs from across the country.

This EV Rider post and episode is sponsored by the Historic Tapoco Lodge, a Deals Gap area tradition since 1930 that includes Level 2 J-1772 and Tesla Destination charging for guests with EV’s.

California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan and Texas were just some of the states represented at 2025’s event, which was held May 17-24.

In this week’s EV Rider episode at the top of this post you’ll hear from a variety of motorcyclists and get a first person perspective of tackling 318 cures in just 11 miles on U.S. 129, which runs through the heart of the Dragon in Deals Gap, NC and into Tennessee.

I personally rode just under 1,400 miles to the Dragon and back from Jacksonville, FL on my 2020 Zero SR/F. I had a blast at this year’s event and thoroughly enjoyed editing the video.

To everyone that contributed photos and b-roll, thank you! Your photo and video additions really added to the piece. I’m purposely avoiding running any of the photos in this brief story in hopes of encouraging more readers to watch the episode.

A big shoutout goes to the Historic Tapoco Lodge, which is about five minutes or so away from the heart of the Dragon. The lodge sponsored this episode, making the trip possible.

Topaco Lodge has a wonderful bar and restaurant providing beautiful views of Cheoah River while dining. It’s a first-class retreat with pleasant cabins throughout the property.

It’s also well equipped for EV motorcyclists with Level 2 chargers along with outdoor plugs for overnight charging under weather protected canopies.

Austin  Ammarell did a fantastic job organizing this year’s Electrics at the Dragon.

For those of you who couldn’t make it, you’ve got the entire summer and fall season to check out the Dragon and you don’t even need to bring your motorcycle since Austin also co-owns eMoto Powersports, which rents out Zero and Energica EVs just down the road in Robbinsville.

If you don’t have your helmet and gear with you, they’ve got that covered as well.

Last year I rented a DSR/X from eMoto Powersports rather than bring my own bike. It was a great way to experience a different EV.

eMoto Powersports also welcomes visiting motorcyclists to use its j-1772 plug, which is a great resource for Zero owners with Rapid Chargers.

There are plenty of worthwhile riding locations that don’t require a charge to get back to your Deals Gap area homebase, but if you do want to head further out, you might be pleasantly surprised to find how many chargers are scattered throughout the region.

Great Smoky Mountains Regional Charging Locations 

The post EV Motorcyclists Slay Tail Of The Dragon In NC, TN appeared first on EV Rider.

It’s always fun to see what EVs attract the most viewers so we’ll end the year with a roundup of the Top 10 videos produced this year on EV Rider, based on viewership. 

Number 10: Kia EV6

Coming in at number ten, Kia enthusiasts were obviously excited that the EV6 was getting a mid-cycle refresh for the 2025 model year.  

Among the improvements: A jump in range to more than 330 miles per charge for the rear-wheel drive version and a new front end that includes daytime running lights and an LED light bar. 

Number 9: Model 3

Tesla’s Model 3 also got a mild-overhaul, which generated lots of interest as the ninth most watched video. Commonly referred to as the Highland edition, the latest Model 3 includes an upgraded interior, quieter cabin, and revised exterior styling. 

Number 8: Karma Kaveya & Gyesera

Karma is finally showing off new EVs after being reincarnated from the ashes of the first Fisker car company to go out of business. EV Rider was possibly the first media outlet to post video of the unveiling of the Kaveya and Gyesera EVs at the 2024 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, along with design summaries from former GM design chief Ed Welburn and Karma President Marques McCammon. Neither car has made it onto the production line yet. 

Number 7: Eli Zero Micro EV

Coming in at number 7, EV Rider viewers were obviously excited about the possibility of a $12,000 micro EV called the Eli Zero. When we interviewed  U.S. head of operations James Seargent  II, he predicted this tiny EV that’s meant for neighborhoods, urban cores and campuses would be on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2024. 

Although the Eli is on sale overseas, so far there’s no indication that the Zero will make it to American shores as soon as originally forecast. 

Number 6: Vinfast VF8

 A new entry that has made it to the U.S. is coming on strong if EV Rider video views are any indication of interest. The Vinfast VF8 road test that debuted several weeks ago is quickly climbing the viewership ladder. 

And why not? The car company from Vietnam could well end up being the next Kia when it comes to success stories. Formed in 2017, Vinfast already has a full model line-up, including the VF8 SUV EV. 

It appears Vinfast also appeals to high-tech viewers. The 3D spatial version of the VF8 road test was the number one EV Rider video for immersive virtual reality headsets like Meta Quests and Apple Vision Pros. 

Number 5: MINI Countryman All4 EV

MINI fans have something to cheer about with the arrival of the all-new Countryman ALL4 EV. It’s a huge step forward over the last-gen Cooper SE EV and given Americans tend to like bigger vehicles, it’s likely to sell better than MINI’s last EV to be imported to the U.S. 

Number 4: Fisker Ocean

Coming in at number four is an EV manufacturer that flamed out in 2024 after appearing to have a bright future in 2023. 

The second incarnation of Fisker declared bankruptcy in 2024, but not before delivering thousands of Oceans that thrilled many owners before the bad news hit. It’s a shame. Fisker’s Ocean was a nicely styled entry. 

Number 3: 2025 Zero Motorcycles Lineup

EV Rider’s motorcycling audience paid a lot of attention to Zero Motorcycle’s expanded 2025 lineup. The California-based company debuted two new models in the low end of the market: the XB and XE. Both are lightweight, off-road dirt bikes, although they are street legal in some parts of the world.  

Zero also showed off it’s Neutrino concept, which could shake up the market currently dominated by Honda’s Grom. 

Number 2: 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe

The number two video produced in 2024 shows just how popular Jeep is despite stumbles by its parent company Stellantis this year. Our long-term road test of a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe plug-in hybrid was the most watched video produced during 2024. 

Number 1: Canoo

And the number one video with more than 40,000 video views at last check was EV startup Canoo’s first quarter earnings call. Canoo actually had two videos produced in 2024 hit the top 10, likely driven by investor interest.

Canoo has been burning through cash and still hasn’t managed to reach any sort of meaningful production numbers despite having a multi-billion dollar order book that includes high-profile customers like Walmart. 

At the time of this post Canoo had idled it’s Oklahoma factory and had furloughed more than 80 employees to conserve cash, saying it is “in talks with various capital sources.”  

In an effort to to get back into NASDAQ compliance and prop its stock price back up, it announced a 1-for-20 reverse stock split effective December 24. 

2025 will likely be the sink or swim year for Canoo. 

Happy New Year to all of you. Here’s hoping 2025 will be the best year yet. 

The post Top 10 EV Rider Videos Of 2024 appeared first on EV Rider.

Higher end e-bikes have been gradually blurring the line between what’s a bicycle and what’s a motorcycle for several years now.

For 2025 Zero Motorcycles has decided the time is right to jump into the low-end of the somewhat murky category pool. The big news is the rollout of two entirely new off-road bikes called the XB and XE.

The small electric motorcycles are a step above all-terrain e-bikes but nothing close to Zero’s DS-line of adventure motorcycles.

We’ll get into specifics in a moment, but first, for Zero fans that were hoping its S and DS-lines would get bigger batteries or DC fast charging for the 2025 model year, forget it. It’s another year of color changes for those models and the FX-line.

Related: More Zero Motorcycles coverage

Zero XB

Now back to what’s truly new. Zero’s new XB checks in at just 139 pounds with 275 lb-ft of torque, which should make it a fantastic bike to load in the back of the pick-up for some weekend off-roading or riding around the farm.

But that’s about it. With a top speed of just 50-mph this isn’t a motorcycle that you can take on the highway or even on public streets in many places.

You’ll notice that video of Zero’s new X-line at the top of this post only show the bikes being used off-road. That’s because, depending on where you live in the world, these aren’t street-legal motorcycles.  

See Also: Coverage of other electric motorcycles

Here in the U.S. the bikes are too fast to be classified as an e-bike but too slow to be registered a street legal motorcycle in many areas of the country. If you want to use either the XB or XE on public roads, be sure to check your area’s rules before buying one.

E-bicycles are capped at 28 miles-per-hour in most areas of the U.S., although it’s become common knowledge that in some cases speed limiters are easily removed.

Some manufacturers end-up putting pedals on much faster bikes with speed limiters in an effort to get around local laws as some customers seek out ways to defeat the speed limiters. Kudos for Zero for not playing that game.

The XB has a 2.4 kWh battery that fully charges in three hours off a regular household outlet. Zero rates the range at 47 miles at 31-mph, which again, puts it a bit above high-end e-bike territory. Just like some e-bikes, the battery is swappable.

Its closest direct competitor here in the U.S. is probably the Sur-Ron X. The Zero XB is priced at $4,195.

Zero XE

Next up is Zero’s XE, which takes things up a notch. It comes with a bigger 4.3-kWh battery that’s still swapable and gets a slight top speed increase to 53-mph.

Range jumps to 65 miles at 34-mph while the weight rises to 223 pounds. Zero rates the torque on this one at 635 newton-meters, which translates to an estimated 468 lb-ft of torque.

The XE’s price is getting up there at $6,495. The X-line includes features such as multiple ride modes, color dash and adjustable suspensions.

Zero Neutrino Concept Motorcycle

Zero is also showing off its Neutrino concept bike, which looks like a Honda Grom-sized EV entry.

Details for the Neutrino hadn’t been released at the time of this video’s recording but the photo indicates it would likely come with a 5.9 kWh battery.

While street motorcyclists were likely hoping Zero would focus on updating its larger bikes, the new smaller models makes sense economically.

The global low-powered electric motorcycle and scooter market is expected to grow by almost $24-billion over the next four years, according to market research firm Technavjo.  

Zero’s FX-line of small, entry-level EV motorcycles also continues for 2025, giving Zero dealers a full suite of offerings ranging from just under $4,200 all the way up to $23,000 before options.

The post Zero Motorcycles Unveils 2 New Models & Concept Bike For 2025 appeared first on EV Rider.

Can A Zero Motorcycle Improve With Age? Yes.

I bought my 2020 Zero Motorcycles SR/F in December 2019. As I approach the 5-year mark and pass 22,000 miles, it’s gotten better with age thanks to the magic of firmware updates and a company that cares about its customers. 

Post your Zero SR/F questions or comments here.

In terms of wear items, I’ve replaced the tires at 10,000 and 20,000 miles. In both cases I likely could have gotten an additional thousand miles or more out of the tread before reaching the tire cord. 

Tires have been lasting on my SR/F significantly longer than on my old Kawaski Vulcans, which usually chewed through rear tires by about 8,500 miles.  

I replaced the Zero’s belt at 20,0000 miles out of an abundance of caution, although it wasn’t showing any abnormal signs of wear. Outside of that I’ve had the dealer change the brake fluid once since I’ve owned it.  

I also took it in for two minor recall notices that didn’t affect the operation of the bike. Once was for a cruise control improvement and the other was for a rear rotor bolts torque check. 

That’s it for maintenance since there’s no oil to change, chain to lube or coolant to replace. 

In terms of range and fun: it’s actually gotten better.  A big reason for that is Zero’s over the air firmware updates.  

Since I first bought the bike Zero has overhauled its LED gauge cluster via firmware updates, which in my opinion was a nice improvement over the original design. The cluster is broken into information sectors, which can be easily swapped depending on what information is most important to the rider. 

For example, I personally like to have both trip mileage odometers showing along with the time and temperature. But some riders prefer seeing watts per mile, or maybe motor temperature and battery temperature. 

Those functions are easily swappable thanks to Zero’s upgraded app. 

Zero also boosted my SR/F’s charging speed from 5.8 kW to 6.6 kW with a firmware upgrade performed by the dealer. Zero charges for the update but at the time my dealer had a “firmware updates for life” promotion that allowed me to claim the unexpected upgrade for free. 

Zero also made a new reverse gear feature available to 2020 model year owners.

Here’s what really has me sold on the Zero brand. About four years into owning the bike I started noticing a slight drop in range. The bike would only charge to 98%.  

It also developed what some in the Zero community have referred to as “magic charging,” where the indicated charge increases by a few percent during a ride or after the bike has been turned off a while, even though the reality was the battery was of course continuing to discharge.

I reported the issue to Zero, which had me download and email-in my bike’s log files. Zero then reached out and said I needed to take the bike into my dealer to have its battery checked more extensively.  

After more log files were exchanged, Zero decided my battery should be replaced. It shipped out a brand-new free warranty-replacement pack. Better yet, the new pack has a 15.6 kWh rated capacity, compared to my bike’s original 14.4 kWh pack.  

My SR/F now has more range than the day it came off the showroom floor back in 2019. 

The new battery should also hold up well over the long haul since it has the latest cell chemestry and has a real capacity of 17.3 kWh, although Zero capped it at 15.6. But that’s okay. With that much buffer I’m guessing the battery will likely last a decade or more without any noticeable range loss. 

What this tells me as an owner is that Zero cares about its customers. Zero warrants its battery for five years with unlimited mileage. 

My 2020 SR/F still brings a smile to my face every time I ride it.  It still feels great. The Showa suspension is holding up well although the front disc rotors have developed a slight pulsing under braking, likely meaning either the rotors or pads are starting to warp. 

It’s not enough for me to bother messing with yet, but still, that is a weak spot given I rarely encounter heavy braking situations thanks to the bike’s excellent regen, which quickly slows me down when I leave off the throttle. 

Although I also own a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+, the SR/F gets the most saddle time because it’s so much fun. That’s especially true during our hot Florida summers since my Zero doesn’t put out any noticeable motor or battery heat, whereas with the Yamaha I can quickly lose my cool while sitting at traffic lights.  

My SR/F has also been very economical, although that’s somewhat offset by the high upfront cost. Here in Florida a good number of Level 2 charging stations are still free and my local utility gives me a $7 per month credit for charging off peak.  

That means many months I’m able to basically ride for free in terms of fuel costs. And of course I don’t have mess with oil changes or chain maintenance. 

The rest of what I said in my 10,000-mile review of my SR/F still holds true. I’m looking forward to the next 20,0000 miles of adventures on my SR/F and I hope you’ll come along for the ride. 

The post 22k Mile Review: Zero SR/F Gets Better With Age appeared first on EV Rider.

This week on EV Rider we’ve got a tail of the tape, a direct comparison between LiveWire’s S2 Mulholland and Zero’s 2024 base S model. The 2024 S has the same battery size as my personal 2020 SR/F that is seen in some of the video shots.

I’ve owned the 2020 model year Zero Motorcycles SR/F since 2019 and recently got to spend a day with the 2024 S2 Mulholland featured in the video at the top of this post, courtesy of Adamec Harley-Davidson. During my day with the LiveWire I racked up more than a hundred miles (see full Mulholland review here).

First let’s go over LiveWire vs. Zero pricing. For the 2024 model year Zero makes variations of its S-line motorcycles. The fairest comparison is to Zero’s base S model, which carries a retail price of $14,995. The Mulholland starts a thousand dollars higher at $15,999. Keep in mind prices may have changed by the time you read this or watch the video and those base prices don’t include any dealer discounts or potential incentives. 

The S-line Zeros featured in the video are the 2024 S and a 2020 SR/F Premium. The 2024 SR/F features a bigger battery than my 2020 and a lot more torque than the base S, so when referencing stats I’ll be referring to the 2024 Zero S to keep this comparison fair. 

The Zero S and Mulholland are closely matched in a lot of ways, with the biggest difference being battery sizes. The S comes with a 14.4 kWh battery with 12.6 kWh of usable capacity,  while the Mulholland has 10.5 kWh of usable (nominal) capacity.  

When it comes to torque and horsepower, both bikes have more than enough for most of us but the LiveWire screams with 194 lb-ft and 84 horsepower. LiveWire says that’s good for a 3.3 second 0-to-60 mph run, which based on my seat of the pants experience feels right.  

The Zero S has 97 lb-ft of torque and 65 horsepower. If you want more you’ll have to step up to the SR/F but that’s really a closer competitor to the LiveWire One, so we’ll stick with the S.  

The Mulholland also wins in the weight department coming in at just 432 pounds compared to 492 pounds for the S. The Mulholland sits a little taller than the SR/F.  

Out on the road they both feel light on their feet. Around town I’d say the Mulholland feels a bit more flickable although the Zero’s lower seat height (31-inches vs. Mulholland’s 31.75-inches) makes for a more comfortable experience when you’re stuck at stoplights since more riders can flatfoot the Zero.  

In terms of overall comfort, the Mulholland wins hands down. The Mulholland’s seating triangle is more relaxed compared to the Zero’s more aggressive riding position. The Mulholland’s seat is also more comfortable as the miles start piling up.  

Next let’s move on to build quality. I’ve got to give the nod to the Mulholland. Nothing against the Zero. I own the Zero featured in the video at the top of this post. But I’ve got to say I felt the fit and finish is superior on the LiveWire. That makes sense. Harley has been in this business a very long time. When it comes to range, the Zero beats the Mulholland all day long.

Zero says the S will go up to 101 miles in a 50/50 mix of city and interstate riding at 70 miles per hour. LiveWire does its testing a bit differently but says you can expect 91 miles going 55 miles per hour. 

Out in the real world it quickly became clear the 2024 Mulholland has significantly less range than my 2020 SR/F, which had the same size battery as the 2024 Zero S. 

When it comes to handling, that’s tougher. I didn’t get to spend enough time with the Mulholland to be able to make a good assessment on but first impressions were strong.  

You can’t really go wrong with either of these bikes. They’re both great urban commuters, although if you want to do some light touring you’ll probably want to lean toward the Zero. 

That’s simply because you’ll get a few extra miles of range before you need to stop for a charge. Even here, there’s not a clear winner because the base model S only charges at 3 kW, while I saw a 5 kW peak charging speed from the Mulholland and I’ve seen other Mulholland owners report 5.5 kW peak charging speeds. 

Back on the road the two bikes take a different approach to braking with the Zero using dual J-Juan discs upfront while the Mulholland features a single Brembo. 

Both have antilock brakes with the Zero using Bosch’s Base Motorcycle Stability Control system and LiveWire using cornering enhanced antilock brakes.  

When it comes to the guage clusters I prefer the Zero because it displays more information and allows for more customization of what is displayed. However, the Zero doesn’t offer navigation. At the time of this post Zero had pulled its navigation after troubles during beta testing. I do not know whether Zero plans to reintroduce it via a firmware update.

The LiveWire’s navigation is attractive, offering a full map view. The Mulholland also offers multimedia controls, which the Zero lacks, allowing Mulholland riders to easily control their music apps.

If you were to ask me which bike I think looks better? That’s a tough call. I really like the look of both motorcycles. I know that’s a bit of a copout but let’s face it, styling is subjective anyway.  

Both bikes feature a wide range of riding profiles and allow the rider to customize things like torque and regen. Both motorcycles also feature over-the-air firmware updates, meaning even fewer trips to the dealer for service.

Adding it all up, if we stick to the base model Zero S, which bike wins? To me, the Mulholland. It’s got the base S beat due to the LiveWire’s stronger performance and more premium feel.  

But it’s a razor thin margin when you consider the Mulholland costs more and has a smaller battery. 

As I said earlier, if you’ll be sticking to primarily urban use cases, you can’t really go wrong with either bike. If you’re looking for a more all-around EV motorcycle with faster charging and more range, then the LiveWire One or Zero’s SR/F, SR/S or DSR-X are worth a look.

What do you think? Would you go for a LiveWire or Zero? Let me know in the comments and for additional details be sure to watch the video at the top of this post and if you enjoy it, please give the video a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel so I can bring you more adventures in EV motoring 

The post LiveWire S2 Mulholland Vs. Zero Motorcycles S appeared first on EV Rider.

EV motorcyclists from across the U.S. rode into Deals Gap, NC in April for Electrics at the Dragon.

This EV Rider post and episode is sponsored by the Historic Tapoco Lodge, a Deals Gap area tradition since 1930 that includes level 2 charging for guests with EV’s.

All the riders that attended had a few things in common: a love for electric motorcycles, comradery and exploring the great outdoors. Zero E-Michigan YouTuber Karl Bloss rode in from Michigan on his Zero SR/S, tallying well over 2000 miles in the saddle.

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“Last year, I trailored my bike down but this year I retired and I had time, so I took ten days to ride all the way down here,” Karl said.

John Lever also owns an SR/S and says out of all the motorcycles, he’s owned, the Zero ranks at the very top. “Currently I own a Ducati Multistrada. I’ve also owned two Honda Gold Wings, an [Honda] Africa Twin, Suzuki Burgman, a Yamaha FJR 1300 and a Tracer 900.”

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Rounding out our trio of SR/S owners is Bob Thurstans. Last year he rode in all the way from California. This year Bob decided to rent a SR/S from eMotor Powersports, in nearby Robbinsville, which is similar to his personal bike. 

“Another feature that mine has is the Rapid Charger and the Double-J. I was able to ride it across from from California last year. I did the coast to coast, had a little help from Scott. He gave me a list of 29 chargers that I might potentially use on the drive across and I used about. 26 of them.”

Bob is referring to Scott Harkless, who invented the DJ Rapid Charge system which allows Zero SR/S and SR/F owners to use two J-1772 charging outlets simultaneously in conjunction with Zero’s, optional Rapid Charger setup. Scott is now turning his attention to Zero’s DSR/X lineup and hopes to get a DJ Rapid Charge into production for it by the end of the year. 

“It’s in the works as much as it can be. The system will work because this [DSR/X] is basically the same drivetrain. It’s just the mechanics that need to be worked out. I’m working with Zero on that to get the parts I need to get that all worked out, so stay tuned,” Scott said. The system for current generation Zero Ss, SR/Fs and SR/Ss is available at eMoto Design.

Larry Bergsneider came in from Auburn, AL with his 2018 DSR, which he uses for a lot of off roading. “I try to keep up with the KTMs and the BDRs (Backcountry Discovery Routes) and the rallies. I try to keep up with them. I do OK,” Larry said.

This year, rather than ride or tow my personal Zero SR/F from Jacksonville to the Dragon, I decided to rent a Zero DSR/X from eMoto Powersports in Robbinsville, which is about 20 minutes or so from the Dragon.

eMoto Powersports owner Austin. Ammarell and his buddy Christian Mergner are the co-founders of Electrics at the Dragon. “We just came up here with two of us on our electric bikes. I had just gotten a fast charging system for an older version of this bike [Zero S] and he had a little Supermoto that went 40 miles on a charge,” Austin said, adding, “We kind of both said, ‘you know, it would be awesome if you had a whole group of us up here for a weekend.’ And so I posted in the Facebook group, right when I got home. I had eight people show up the first time, some on gas bikes, some on electrics, and it grew from there. “

The Tail of the Dragon is on U.S. 129. It features 318 curves in 11 miles, beginning in North Carolina and quickly winding its way into Tennessee. If you’d like to learn more about the Dragon, visit the official Tail of the Dragon website.

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Cybertruck fans are no doubt aware by now that Tesla plans to offer an optional second battery pack that will allow them to stretch the range of the EV pickup to 470 miles. What they may not know is Zero Motorcycles has been doing the same thing for a decade now. 

Zero calls its secondary optional battery a Power Tank while Tesla’s offering will be called a Range Extender.  Keep reading for more on Zero’s Power Tank but we begin with what we know about Tesla’s range extender.  

It’s meant to be used for long trips, especially ones involving towing. Telsa CEO Elon Musk says it is a “toolbox-size battery.” He’s referring to a full-length pickup bed toolbox, not the smaller ones you might find at Home Depot. 

At the time of this recording, Tesla hadn’t released details but Electrek.com estimates the pack will likely be somewhere around 47 kWh and weigh roughly 700 pounds. Those are guesses based on Tesla’s claim that the additional pack will add approximately 130 additional miles of range.  

Whatever the final weight ends up being, it’s clear the extra battery isn’t going to be something you can just unclick, lift out and leave in the garage, raising questions about whether it will have be permanently installed. 

If not, one guess is Tesla might offer a battery lift-kit. For example, aftermarket companies offer lift kits for convertibles with removable hardtops. Most of those systems have pulleys mounted to garage beams that allow owners to lift their tops off for winter storage. 

Telsa’s Range Extender battery will likely require its own support system, given its weight. Since Tesla batteries also have management and coolant systems it also seems unlikely it will be plug-n-play. But who knows, maybe Tesla’s engineers have another surprise up their sleeves.  

Pricing hasn’t been announced although some Tesla html source code tweeted on X indicates the option might cost $16,000. When I did a check of Telsa’s Cybertruck webpage it appeared that line of code had been removed. 

Next, let’s look at Zero’s Power Tank. It weighs roughly 45 pounds and adds 3.6 kWh of capacity, which on something as small as a SR/S motorcycle is good for roughly an extra 20 miles of highway range and more in the city. In the case of Zero, the additional battery is a permanently installed dealer accessory. It cost $3,200 at the time of this video’s posting and is offered as an option on most models. But that price doesn’t include the installation labor. 

Zero’s Power Tank replaces the storage area in a standard bike, but still leaves enough room to store a wallet and charge a smartphone.  

Now that Tesla is following Zero Motorcycles lead in joining together multiple battery packs, what do you think, will the rest of the industry follow suit? Post your comments here.

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