EV bike maker Zero Motorcycles has introduced a new flagship “smart” streetfighter motorcycle today called the Zero SR/F, which can be optioned with a max range of up to 200 miles in the city, and in its priciest configuration can impressively recharge from nothing to 95 percent capacity in just an hour.
As with most current electric motorcycles, though, there are still a few caveats. The SR/F’s 200 mile range is only for models optioned with a Zero Power Tank, which will be offered later this year. Moreover, the final price is yet to be determined. (Existing Power Tanks for Zero’s other models is priced around $2,900. Also, the one-hour charge time is for models optioned with a somewhat confusing three charging modules hooked up to a level 2 connection. Electric vehicles: They’re so simple!
A 3 kW onboard charger (I’ll call them a “charging module” as that’s what Zero calls them) is standard on the Standard trim. The Premium trim gets two 3 kW modules for a total of 6 kW, and an additional 6 kW module can be optioned for $2,300 on top of the $20,995 starting price of the Premium, totaling 12 kW of charging power. That’s how you get the one-hour charge time. The SR/F Standard starts at $18,995.
The two trims will be available starting in April. The Standard model weighs 485 pounds, while the Premium model weighs 498 pounds (with the two 3 kW modules), but it does get the addition of heated hand grips, a fly screen, and aluminum bar ends.
Both options come with the same running gear, putting down 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque from a new motor and an improved 14.4 kWh battery, which is all good for a claimed 161 miles of city range, 99 miles highway (at 55 mph), not factoring in the option of the aforementioned additional power pack. Top speed is 124 mph.
The SR/F also comes with a new Cypher III operating system that takes advantage of Bosch’s Motorcycle Stability Control, the first motorcycle of Zero’s lineup to get the advanced riding tech. This tech has been on other gas-powered bikes for a few years, if you’re curious. The road stability control system is meant to better protect riders, particularly in corners or through patches of gravel on the road, according to the bike’s engineers at today’s Manhattan presentation.
The SR/F comes with four predetermined ride modes, including Street, Sport, ECO, and Rain, but can also be configured with up to 10 customizable drive modes as well.
The new Cypher III operating system also now allows the owner to maintain a constant connection with the motorcycle via a cell connection.
Owners can monitor the bike’s charge status, schedule a charge time, schedule or initiate over-the-air updates, and receive alerts when the bike is being tampered with from the app on their phone, without needing to be in direct proximity to the SR/F. OTA updates are hot for the EV world in cars, and it seems like now that is trickling into motorcycles.
More immediately useful for the performance riders out there, the app can also record riding data for feedback on max speed, routes, and other driving dynamics and characteristics. This connectivity is complimentary for two years after purchase.
The new SR/F definitely seems like a step above the rest of the Zero lineup, in both performance and practicality. The issue is that practicality only comes when you price this thing all the way up—the 12 kW charging capability that lends you one-hour charge times totals out at $23,295 before incentives. If you want 200 miles of range, you have to option a power tank which will likely be another $2,800 or more.
Who is buying a $26,000 bike (before incentives, to be fair), which they can’t even get 200 miles out of on the highway? That’s a very expensive street-legal toy, though, to be more than a little fair, is still somehow less than the Harley LiveWire.