Zero's new electric bike justifies comparisons with Tesla



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California-based Zero Motorcycles removed the cover of its latest electric bike, the SR / F, at an event that took place Monday in downtown Manhattan. It's the company's most advanced bike in 13 years of existence, with a new colorful digital dashboard, a revamped mobile app and, of course, the promise of being a pleasure to ride, with a power of 110 horsepower and up to 200 miles range on a full charge (with an extended battery extension).

The new SR / F will start shipping in April and start at $ 18,995. This basic model can cover 161 miles with a single charge in the city, 160 km on the highway (55 km / h) or 123 combined, according to Zero estimates. It comes with a fast charger of 3kW and will be sold in two different colors.

A "premium" model will also be available for $ 20,995. It comes with an anti-mosquito screen, heated grips and a 6 kW fast charger that allows the bike to go from 0 to 95% in one hour. Both versions have a top speed of 124 km / h and a top speed of 110 km / h. Both are equipped with a brand new electric motor and battery pack designed by the Zero team.

Zero made no effort to describe the new bike, either during the event or in the press. The SR / F is a bike that "changes the industry" and offers "the most revolutionary bike experience in the world," says Zero. The company qualifies the SR / F as "the first fully intelligent motorcycle."

It's a lot of discussions to do. But Zero is by far the leading manufacturer of electric motorcycles. Sam Paschel, CEO, said at Monday's event that Zero sells more electric bikes than all of its competitors, and that the company has often made comparisons with Tesla.

Zero has been manufacturing electric motorcycles since 2006, and this experience is expressed in the SR / F. This is the most comprehensive vision that the company has ever made of what a motorcycle of the future should be, without sacrificing power. nor the speed that makes these vehicles so exciting to drive. All that's missing is the sound of the engine and the ability to refuel at a glance (even with the fast charge).

But even in this case, it has unique advantages to electric motorcycles. There are intelligently hidden storage depths where the fuel tank would normally be. And if you have a place to charge during the night, you'll never leave your home with less than a full "tank". It also takes a lot less work to prepare the bike for storage if you live in a place where riding in winter is out of the question.

I loved the Zero Entry Zero DS ZF6.5 at the end of 2017, and I felt the same when I spent a few weeks with the latest DSR, a stronger and more powerful bike.

One of the things I missed was a solid smartphone app (the one that's a little out of date) and a more complete digital signage. The SR / F will certainly offer it, with a new application that allows the tracking and sharing of trips, planned loading and the ability to customize the digital dashboard. This will allow you to check the condition of the bike when you step away from it and get alerts, for example when the charge is over or someone is handling it. Zero will also be able to update the SR / F software via radio link updates.

Zero has spent more than 10 years proving that electric technology can replace and, in some ways, supplant motorcycle combustion engines. The result is super fast bikes, super fun and really well done. However, the SR / F seems to be a real evolution, which could validate the comparisons already made with Tesla.

The question now is how much the SR / F inspires other motorcycles from Zero Motorcycles. Paschel said Monday that the SR / F was supposed to be the company's halo product, which customers aspire to own, before finally turning to one of the most affordable models. It did not say when Zero's other bikes will have access to the new app or dashboard, which means that, in the foreseeable future at least, the ultimate vision of the company in that that concerns the future of motorcycles will only be available for people who have big means. . "The Tesla of motorcycles", indeed.

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