The things happening in the world of electric hop up right now easily parallel the hot rod movement of post-war Southern California. The new tech powertrains are getting cheaper and easier to come by, so do-it-yourselfers are grabbing those bits to make stuff go fast and look cool. This particular hot rod blends the old style with the new drivetrain, using the bits from a Zero SR motorcycle to power the rear wheels. It’s pretty standard stuff, but it’s still rad as hell.
The SR isn’t exactly a speed demon when mated to about 2000 pounds of metal, but with 67 horsepower and just over 100 lb-ft of torque, it’s still more than enough oomph to make the tires smoke. It might not be as quick as a built big block with a blower, but that little electric motor is a lot more compact and depending on the circles you travel in, infinitely more interesting.
When Rich Rebuilds got his hands on a Zero SR at a salvage auction, it only took a little while to realize that he wasn’t really a bike guy, and the bike’s frame was cracked anyway. So he took the motor, charger, and all of the controller gubbins off the chassis, and tucked it away on a shelf. When he later picked up a hot rod with Chevy 305 power (ew!) the game was on.
This whole build has been interesting to watch, and it’s awesome to see the electric rod come together. Throw on a leather helmet and aviator goggles, and check out the video.
As an interesting aside, Rich actually tows the hot rod to a “testing location” with his Tesla, so if you’ve ever wondered about hauling a tow dolly with a Tesla, that’s another reason to watch.