Zero Motorcycles, California-based electric motorcycle maker, released its 2018 models this week.
Zero once again raised the bar for all electric motorcycles by increasing battery capacity and range, and launching a new high-speed on-board charger option that increases charging speeds by 6X.
Zero Motorcycles has consistently produced the electric vehicle industry’s most energy and power dense battery packs and they have extended their leadership position again by boosting their Z-Force battery’s energy capacity by more than 10%.
For 2018, Zero introduced three new batteries. The ZF14.4, ZF7.2, and ZF3.6 batteries offer more range and better performance than any two wheel electric vehicle currently on the market. When equipped with the optional range extending ZF3.6 Power Tank, Zero models featuring the largest ZF14.4 battery offer 18 kWh of energy and the longest range of any two wheel EV on the market with a city range of up to 223 miles. Zero’s advanced lithium-ion batteries are maintenance free and backed by an industry leading five-year, unlimited mileage, warranty.
Every Zero motorcycle can be charged using the standard 110 V or 220 V wall outlets found all over the world. To give riders the ability to cover more ground in a single day, Zero launched a 6 kW Charge Tank that enables charging up to six times faster than when only using the standard charger. The new Charge Tank is compatible with the extensive worldwide network of Level 2 EV charge stations. The new option is available on all Zero S, SR, DS, and DSR models. When combined with the standard charger, the new Charge Tank drops charge times for ZF7.2 models to one hour (0-95%), and reduces ZF14.4 models to about two hours.
“Zero’s new 6 kW Charge Tank allows riders to charge at speeds of up to 103 miles per hour of charging* at any of the growing number of over 14,000 Level 2 charging stations in the US or around the world.” said Zero Motorcycles CTO Abe Askenazi. “This means riders can add 30 miles of ‘fuel’ in the time it takes to stop for a cup of coffee or fully recharge over lunch. This completely changes the utility of electric motorcycles by eliminating long recharging times.”
Other performance enhancements for 2018 include:
– Zero models with the compact and lighter-weight ZF7.2 batteries offer 11% more rear wheel torque.
– The ZF13.0 Zero S and Zero DS have been fine tuned to deliver up to 30% more power and torque to amp up acceleration at highway speeds.
The 2018 Zero S, SR, DS, DSR, and FX models look better than ever with bold and sophisticated new colors and graphics. From the Graphene Black Metallic with gold wheels of the Zero DSR to the Silicon Silver Metallic paint of the Zero S, the updated color palette delivers a stunning visual update to Zero’s line.
Zero invented the first mobile App that allowed riders to tailor their bike’s performance from their smartphone (available for iOS and Android) and this year they’ve taken it to another level. Firmware updates that used to require a trip to the dealer can now be easily performed directly from any compatible smartphone (available on 2017 and 2018 models. See your dealer for details). This makes it easier than ever for owners to ensure their bike is using state-of-the-art firmware to deliver maximum performance in every condition.
The upgrades are being delivered at the same price as last year’s models with the exception of a $500 price increase to the flagship Zero SR and Zero DSR.
The new Charge Tank is a factory-installed option priced with an MSRP of $2,295. 2018 motorcycles will begin arriving at authorized North American Zero Motorcycles dealers later this month.
For more details about Zero’s 2018 line or to see the new motorcycles at a dealer near you, visit Zero Motorcycles’s website.
