Santa Cruz, California — The Santa Cruz, California-based company, Zero, has recently debuted its new Zero-X Electric Motorcycle, the result of years of work by Neal Saiki, founder, and inventor of the new e-cycle. Saiki is a former NASA engineer.

The overall design of the frame and plastic of the Zero-X is revolutionary, according to its reviewers from Dirt Rider, who also comment that the layout of the electric motor is innovative as well.

The bike is powered by a proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable power pack, and has an aircraft-grade aluminum frame and swingarm. There is also a massive power module cradled in the center of the frame – which weighs 45 pounds and taking up most of the room in the motor area.

To start the bike, you simpy turn the key, flip the on/off switch to “on” and then wait about 0.562 seconds for the green light to come on.

Because the bike is silent, it is easy to forget it’s on. Flick the throttle and the cycle moves forward immediately, with no hesitation.

The Zero-X’s has a 20 horsepower engine. A test rider was able to climb Glen Helen’s famed Mount St. Helens with little trouble. There are two switches behind the handlebar-that can  alter the Zero-X’s power. According to the reviewer, the “hit” switch doesn’t seem to make a massive difference, but the “low” setting makes the overall speed of the electric motorcycle much mellower. You have to toggle the key to go from low to high, which is a good safety feature.

The test rider pointed out that compared to a full-size 250, the Zero-X is fragile, but that’s because you’re contrasting it with a big bike. In relation to a mountain bike, though, this motorcycle is quite strong.

You truly have to ride it like a bicycle – that means no blatantly hard landings and no slamming into things; you have to use finesse to ride the bike. At 151 pounds, the Zero-X is about all that the mountain bike-style fork and shock combo can take, and the entire chassis takes on a nimble, flickable feel in the dirt. Although not as stable as some would like, the lightweight feel of the machine certainly is a benefit to the power-to-weight ratio, and though the Zero-X can’t take super-hard hits or big drops, it is still capable for mild trail scenarios.

It takes a while to get used to the layout of the bike. With two hand brakes and a throttle being the extent of the controls, there’s no need for your feet to do anything.

Some components-the chain guide, for instance-are low, obtrusive and simply not designed for serious off-road use (but then again, neither was the bike).  The brakes are yet another mountain bike-inspired part and do a good job of stopping the bike when new, though Dirt Rider reviewers have heard from customers who bought this bike in late ‘08 that the pads wear out almost immediately.

It was the battery duration that would be extremely important.

The testers ran three batteries out at the Zero-X intro, and they all died in different fashions.

One battery slowly grew weaker and chugged to a stop, another felt as though it operated at one-third power forever and then fell out, and yet another battery dropped dead like someone had turned the key off. This variation is most likely because the speed with which the battery runs out, much like a tank of gas, is dependent on which mode you are in and how hard you are on the throttle.

Swapping out a battery with a replacement takes less than three minutes, but an extra batter costs $2950 (plus shipping) for the replacement.

Otherwise, it takes about two and a half hours to recharge the battery.

Right now, the major competitor to the Zero is the Quantya electric bike.

Specifications
MSRP: $7750
Claimed Weight (with battery): 151 lb
Fuel Capacity: None.

Source:
DirtRider.com

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London, England — the gocycle is a brand new, sleek electric bike. It is a”a revolutionary, lightweight electric two-wheeler designed to shake up the urban cycling industry with its sleek design and pioneering technology.”

Helen Pidd tests the new Gocycle electric bicycle. Photograph: Martin Godwin

The gocycle is like any other bicycle, except it has a red button on the left handebar. That triggers the electricity, and the bike quietly continues on without benefit of pedaling.

The Gocycle manufacturers note that riders can obtain 20 miles out of a single battery charge.

When the battery does die, the bicycle still functions, of course.

It takes three hours to recharge the battery, by simply plugging it into the mains (or an outlet, as they say in the U.S..

Cost: £1198 – but it could be £599 if bought using a voucher from the government’s Cycle to Work Scheme

Pros: Powers ther rider up even steep hills. The bike can be taken to bits quite easily and transported in a carry case.

Cons: Too heavy for carrying up or down stairs very often. With its price tag, fear of theft is a big concern.

Links: gocycle.com

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BRUSSELS, Belgium - The electric bike is expected to become a  ”mainstream product” in 2009.

2008’s faltering economic outlook and sky-high fuel prices provided a boost for the segment because of increased consumer awareness and interest.

The LEV (light electric vehicles), including electric bicycles, will also be one of the focal points at Taipei Cycle 2009, a trade show in China.

The e-Bike industry is looking forward to the introduction of the new EN 15194 standard for ‘Electronically Power Assisted Cycles’ (EPAC). This will take place on April 30 , 2009.

Here is the complete EPAC implementation time table.

• January 14th, 2009 was the date when the definitive text for EN 15194 was sent to all European National Standards Bodies and was accepted by them.
• Sixth month after the acceptance of the definitive text all European National Standards Bodies will have implemented the standard as national standard and any previous national standards shall be withdrawn before this date. This date is July 31st 2009.
• The date of announcement by which the standard shall go into force is April 30th, 2009. The standard will be announced by the European National Standards Bodies and the text of the complete EN 15194 standard for ‘Electronically Power Assisted Cycles’ (EPAC) will be available at the National Standards Bodies in the various European countries.

The implementation of the CE standard varies by country. In some European countries the CE standard is compulsory by law, while in other countries it is just a part of the European product safety ruling.

At Taipei Cycle an E-Bike Forum was held in Conference Room 402 at the TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall 4F on March 18, the show’s second day. At all days of the Taipei Cycle show, the ExtraEnergy Test track was open for test rides on electric bikes and scooters of various manufacturers. Just like last year, the test course included a spectacular 100m long incline to feel the real benefit of an electric bike.

EnergyBus and BATSO were both present at a joint booth with ITRI. Interested industry representatives could make appointments here for private meetings on both items.

A 2-hour information session on each, EnergyBus and BATSO, were planned for March 19, 2009.

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Companuies prepare for the TTXGP zero-emissions grand prix to be held in June during the famous Isle of Man TT race.

On display at the Grand Prix will be an electric sport bike capable of zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds. A San Francisco firm led by former Tesla Motors engineer Forrest North will compete with an electric motorcycle capable of going 150 mph.

Also on display will be the EV-O RR, seen above. Evo Design stands out for the depth of its experience. The iconic British motorcycle company Triumph is among its biggest customers, and its five employees have worked on “everything from submarines to glass bottles,” Simpson said.

The  EV-0 RR has a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, as is propelled by a forkless single-sided front suspension and twin electric motors.

Although the first monocoque bike hit the track in 1967, single-sided front suspension appeared in 1949 and the earliest patents for electric motorcycles were filed in the late 1860s, everything is just coming together now – just in time!

This motorcycle will be running in the  TTXGP zero-emissions grand prix in June, and Evo hopes that if it runs well, their company will stand out in the growing field of high-performance electric motorcycles.

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UK — Bicycle and electric bicycle (e-bike) share programs are increasing in popularity. It’s widely done in Europe, and the US is following the lead in big cities such as New York, San Francisco, and LA.

Citybyke is an automated system for renting and returning e-bikes that utilizes an ATM-like kiosk/charging station that controls a bank of bicycles.

You go to a kiosk to rent a bike (with a credit card or member card). You’re given a PIN number that you use at the docking station to release the bike. You then return the bike to any kiosk station in the area and plug the bike back into an empty docking station, which ends your rental.

Currently, Citybyke is only available in the UK . Memberships start at two pounds per day. The local partner company, Share Limited, manages the kiosks.

The Bike

The Citybyke system uses a proprietary bicycle — only it can be placed on its docking station. They make extensive use of fairings and enclosed components to keep any moving parts from being exposed as well as to prevent theft of bicycle parts. The bikes are built in module fashion, so that portions can be removed and replaced quickly, which will allow for localized requirements like lights or reflectors to be added.

Source: Citybye

Resource: Zoomilife

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Staff at the Dover-based Motocross Challenge Project (MXCP) took delivery of a Swiss-made green machine, Quantya, on Wednesday and said they would eventually like all the bikes they use to be free of pollutants.

Project manager Ric Newton said: “I think it’s an amazing piece of equipment that I’ve seen in operation and I believe it’s the way forward and something we should be promoting to young people. They need to know how important it is to look after the environment. “We want to be able to keep a couple of the bikes and promote them further because we aim to be a green training school and that’s what the world has got to be about.”

The charity works with Kent County Council, the prison service and other organisations to help young people learn outside the classroom. Members of the public can also use its facilities at the weekend.

The bikes tested this week were developed by Quantya, which released its first electric off-road bike the FMX in 2007.

Quantya has been advertising its green initiative at motoring exhibitions throughout the world.

The Quantya bikes cost about £7,000 to buy and take about two hours to fully charge. The power would then last for an hour’s worth of racing or about two-and-a-half hours of regular use.

Visit Quantya Bikes or more information.

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The sales of electric bikes have been skyrocketing around the world, for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons of course is the cost of gasoline. (And although the price is half what it was only several months ago, it has gradually started to creep up again…higher than most people want to pay.)

Rather than purchasing a new car (or even a new, used car!) consider purchasing an electric scooter or bike. There are many different models to choose from so it is a difficult individual who will not find one to their liking!

Take the popular Razor scooter, for example. They can go pretty fast, and have a unique brake system — all the driver has to do to stop is to step on the rear fender.

Practically every manufacturer has a different set of specs for their electric bike, so its necessary to compare the differents models to find the right ones.

For example, if you have young kids, there’s en ebike for him or her – the Junior Kiddie Kick, which will support a maximum weight of 45 pounds. As soon as a young child is ready to start biking, there’s one available.

The Razor Cruiser and t he Razor Pro are two scooters that can bear from 175 to 220 pounds. These are powered scooters that allow the user to perform stunts, as well as to travel long distances.

As far as the Razor is concerned, there’s currently no need to have insurance or license plates, or to register it. Users must wear a bike helmet , however, and are not allowed to operate on a public road with a speed limit of 25 mph or more unless it has a bike lane.

As far as bikes, they need to red reflectors which are visible from 500 feet away, and a headlight which is visible from 300 feet. The bike can’t operate in excess of 15 mph.

Bear in mind, however, that most states have their own individual laws concerning electric bikes so you need to check with your state and make sure you understand all that is required. (Stop in at your local DMV, or visit your state’s DMV website — they should have a list of laws there.)

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