Mission Motors, Zero Motorcycles and CRP Racing have committed to compete exclusively in the new electric racing series founded by TTXGP eGrand Prix.
Mission Motors is based in San Francisco. CRP Racing is based in Italy. Both these companies have committed to racing in the TTXGP, and to not participate in the rival FIM series. Zero will race in the eGrand Prix, but have not yet said they won’t race in FIM’s series.
Read the complete article at:
TTXGP signs electric bike manufacturers
Zero Motorcycles was awarded the “Best Electric Motorcycle” award at eCarTec in Munich, Germany, and the appreciation of Governor Schwarzenegger during the AltCar in California early in October, 2009.
Governor Schwarzenegger had questions for the Zero S electric motorbike during his tour of that show, and displayed some interest in the motorcycle as well. Zero Motorcycles subsequently issued a release calling for the Governor to ditch his Harley, “Switch Out Your Harley for an All-Electric Zero S!”
Read the complete article at: http://www.greenpacks.org/2009/11/13/zero-motorcycles-wants-schwarzenegger-to-ditch-harley-go-zero/#ixzz0aNDBCyUX
BH’s e-Bike e-Motion won the 1st Electric Vehicle Challenge at the ‘EVER’ fair in Monaco, and ended second in the gruelling climb to Alpe d’Huez. The event was the ‘Montée-Electrique.’
The purpose of the event is to bring together environmentally-friendly means of transportation and to demonstrate that they are up to the toughest challenges, such as the climb to the legendary Alpe d’Huez pass. The BH met the challenge of the 1,010-metre incline.
BH’s e-Motion PAB (pedal-assist bicycle) crossed the finish line in 37 minutes and 8 seconds. It finished the climb with 30% of its battery still available, while some of the other contestants had to withdraw from the race due to a breakdown of the motor, or finish the event on foot and with no battery power left.
Source:
Bike Europe
In late October 2009, Zero Motorcycles’ Zero S and DS electric bikes were issued a Certificate of Conformity from the Environmental Protection Agency, which cleared them to be allowed on US roads.
According to the EPA, the Zero S and DS achieve an astounding equivalent of 455 mpg, and generate zero grams of carbon emissions.
The two electric motorcycles also earned certification from both the U.S. and Canadian governments in the vehicle safety standards field, which makes them eligible for sale in both countries. Buyers in the US can also received Federal tax credits – 10% of the purcgase price.
After credits, the on-road Zero S and off-road Zero DS come in at just $8,995.
Source:
Zero S and DS Electric Motorcycles Certified By EPA, Ready to Hit the Roads, 455 MPG
The Zero DS, a dual-sport electric motorcycle, has just been released by Zero Motorcycles. It’s a street-legal Zero version of its street-only predecessor, the Zero S, but also has the off-road capability of the Zero X motocross.
“The Zero DS is designed for those who want the freedom to ride wherever they want,” said CEO Gene Banman in a press release. “Take a new route into the office. Bypass the ordinary. Blast down a gravel road or a dusty trail. When you’re ready, silently pass from the sublime to the civilized as you arrive at your destination.”
Here’s the link to read more about the Zero DS, and see a video:
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
Zero Motorcycles founder Neal Saiki gave us the rundown on the Zero X.
(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)
Zero Motorcycles, which manufactures the Zero X electric motorcycle, hosted the first-ever 24-hour electric motorcycle endurance race, dubbed the 24 Hours of Electricross.
A total of 10 teams from around the world will lined up on the grid early Saturday morning and raced in 1-hour shifts for 24 straight hours, potentially setting a world record for longest and largest electric motorcycle endurance race.
The Santa Clara Fairgrounds, where the race was held, typically doesn’t allow 24-hour races; there are noise ordinances in place because of the residential areas in close proximity. But because of the near-silent operation of the electric bikes, an exception was made.
(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)Although Zero invited other electric motorbike manufacturers, the entrants for the inaugural race will exclusively field Zero X bikes.
The 2009 Model Zero X motorcycle has a high-output lithium ion cell, which is said to be completely nontoxic and environmentally safe. The battery uses a patent-pending process to store enough juice for a 40-mile ride in a package that only weighs 45 pounds. The Zero X bike itself only weighs 151 pounds, about 100 pounds lighter than its gasoline equivalent would be. This is partially because of the all-aluminum frame, but the less-complex electric drivetrain is probably responsible for a few pounds of savings.
The lightweight Zero X saves almost 100 pounds over its gasoline-powered equivalents without sacrificing power.
(Credit: Zero Motorcycles)
The bike’s top speed of 40 mph is reached in about 4 seconds.
Along with hourly rider swaps, the bikes swapped battery packs to get around the 2-hour charging cycle. Akeena Solar was on-site to help charge the Zero X batteries during the race, minimizing the environmental impact. According to Saiki, a full charge of the Zero X’s lithium ion battery pack costs about 40 cents, putting the bike’s running cost at or around a penny per mile, depending on maintenance costs (electric motors require less maintenance than their gasoline counterparts).
The 2009 Zero X is currently available from Zero Motorcycles at an MSRP of $7,450.
The world’s first all-electric 24-hour endurance motocross race will be held held in California on April 4, 2009
This is just one in a long line of upcoming “zero emissions events.” For example the world is looking for ward to the zero-emissions TT Grand Prix on the Isle of Man in June.
Off-road specialists Zero Motorcycles are gearing up for the race, which will be held at San Jose’s 408MX Motocross Track. Since this is the first time for such a race, a lot of world records will be set. Ah, but how long will they last?
Zero’s own ‘X’ – a 150-pound, 23hp, 50 ft-lbs motocrosser with an advanced lithium battery pack that can deliver up to 2 hours of power will be featured. The bike costs USD$7,750 shipped to your door, and additional battery packs, which charge in less than 2 hours, are just under USD$3,000.
It’s a little more expensive than a regular gasoline-powered 250, but then it basically requires no servicing, and can be upgraded with new batteries and software any time they become available. It’s also virtually silent.
Source: Gizmag.com
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.
One of the biggest challenges is getting all the electric bits to fit and packaging them so the weight doesn’t throw the handling off. A traditional frame limits the placement of the battery pack and motors, so Evo opted for a monocoque that encloses the drivetrain like a shell.
“A monocoque doesn’t use a frame, so you’ve got a lot more room,” designer Simpson said. “It’s almost mandatory for an electric motorcycle because it gives you much greater latitude in placing the batteries. It’s also incredibly stiff.”
Ensuring the bike has enough juice to finish the race will be the biggest challenge. The TTXGP will use the same winding 37.73-mile course as the famed Isle of Man TT race, where riders maintain an average speed of more than 120 mph and navigate more than 200 curves.
“Range is always an issue with anything electric,” the bike’s designer said. “We won’t have the option of recharging or replacing the battery, so we’ll have to do one complete circuit. That’s going to be one of the challenges, but then, everyone’s facing the same challenge.”
ZERO Electric Dirt Bike
Dirt bike manufacturers have taken on the electric challenge and appear to be winning. The ZERO bike was an early pioneer and is having great success in bringing their electric bike to the market. The new propulsion system is perfectly suited to riding freestyle through the wilderness or silently flying 20ft in the air down a crazy drop. These bikes offer comparable performance and a completely new silent riding experience. Dirt bikes and electric motors have a big future ahead.
