Zero Motorcycles

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First electric motorcycle from Zero Motorcycles with lithium-ion battery Z-Force
Detail: electric motor and lithium-ion battery Z-Force
battery

Zero Motorcycles is an American manufacturer of electric motorcycles . The company was founded in 2006 by Neal and Lisa Saiki in Santa Cruz , California . Products include the Zero S street motorcycle, the Zero DS dual-sport machine, the Zero MX motocross variant, the Zero X off-road model and the Zero XU urban cross bike.

The Z-Force brand is used for the batteries and motors developed by or for Zero Motorcycles .

Zero motorcycles consistently use a lithium-ion battery as energy storage. A brushless electric motor with permanent magnet rotor controlled by a controller via power electronics drives the rear wheel via a toothed belt with carbon fiber.

A standard charger carried along allows the battery to be charged within typically 8 hours with mains power from a normal household socket. (An advantage over electric cars, which require batteries with a larger capacity.) Li-ion batteries do not need lead, their organic electrolyte is flammable. To prevent it from boiling, the battery is cooled and operated with temperature monitoring.

To further develop its electric drive technology, Zero is funded by the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District (MBUAPCD) and the California Energy Commission with around 2 million US dollars. The electric motors are manufactured by the German company Perm Motor , among others . The frames of the motorcycles are made of aluminum and were designed by the former NASA engineer Neal Saiki.

In June 2009 the company set up a European customer service center and sales center in Amsterdam . A nationwide service and sales network in the core sales regions has been under construction since then.

Models

Zero Motorcycles entered the motorcycle business in 2007 with the introduction of the Zero X off-road version. In 2009 the first street motorcycle Zero S Supermoto, the motocross machine Zero MX, and the Zero DS, a combination of off-road and street motorcycle, were added. In March 2010, the company presented its 2010 models. The new versions of the Zero S and DS are equipped with a newly developed cooling system, which extends the battery life. Another product line appeared in February 2011. The Zero X and Zero MX all-terrain machines are now also available for the road. Another new feature is the Zero XU street motorcycle, with a replaceable battery. In November 2011, Zero Motorcycles presented its new models for 2012 for the first time in Europe. At the EICMA motorcycle trade fair , the company presented a product line that has been further developed in the areas of range and top speed.

Zero S (Streetfighter)

Zero S, 2012

The street motorcycle Zero S has been available in two different versions since the 2012 season - with a battery capacity of 6 or 9  kWh . Developed for city traffic and occasional off-road trips, the motorcycle has a range of up to 183 kilometers. Depending on the setting and version, the Supermoto can achieve top speeds of up to 142 km / h.

The total weight is 135 (6 kWh) or 155 (9 kWh) kilograms. The aluminum frame accounts for 10 kilograms of this. The battery is said to be charged in less than four hours. Thanks to a quick charge option, the charging time can be reduced by around 75 percent.

The Zero S is open to traffic in Germany.

Zero DS (dual sport)

Zero DS 2012

The Zero DS dual sport machine developed on the basis of the Zero S combines the properties of enduro and road machines . The multi-purpose sports tires offer traction both off-road and on the road. The suspension specially designed for the DS is designed to dampen larger bumps. The dual sport machine was also available in 2012 in versions with 6 and 9 kWh, which enables a range of up to 180 kilometers and a top speed of up to 129 km / h.

The Zero DS has been released for traffic in Germany.

Zero MX (Motocross)

Zero MX 2012

The motocross version Zero MX includes a modified front end and a newly developed, specially manufactured rear shock absorber. This gives the driver a fully adjustable spring preload and easily adjustable damping. The Zero MX was also equipped with a dynamic 19 ”front wheel and special tires. The 2012 version is around 33% more powerful, allowing up to 90 minutes to drive off-road.

Zero X (terrain)

Zero X 2012

The entry-level model Zero X was developed for easy terrain. With 33% more power than the previous models, the 2012 Zero X has a range of 61 kilometers. The battery can be fully recharged in two hours thanks to a quick-charge option.

Zero XU (street motorcycle)

Zero XU 2012

The Zero XU is a lightweight electric motorcycle designed for city riding. Due to the low weight, the low seat height and the lack of push mode, it is suitable for drivers of all experience levels. The battery is replaceable and can be charged in 2 hours with a quick charger.

2017 Zero models

Basic type: ZERO S ZERO SR ZERO DS ZERO DSR ZERO FX ZERO FXS
Battery: 1 ZF 6.5 ZF 13 ZF 13

Power tank

ZF 13 ZF 13

Power tank

ZF 13 ZF 13

Power tank

ZF 6.5 ZF 13 ZF 13

Power tank

ZF 13 ZF 13

Power tank

ZF 6.5 ZF 6.5
Range 2 km 082 160 193 137 168 128 170 080 133 150 129 156 082 079
Useful torque Nm 108 109 109 110 110 146 146 108 110 110 146 146 106 106
Net power at engine speed 3 kW 23 at 4150 rpm 23 at 4150 rpm 23 at 4150 rpm 45 at 5300 rpm 45 at 5300 rpm 52 at 3800 rpm 52 at 3800 rpm 23 at 4150 rpm 45 at 5300 rpm 45 at 5300 rpm 52 at 3800 rpm 52 at 3800 rpm 33 at 4500 rpm 33 at 4500 rpm
Continuous power 4 kW 11 11 11 21st 21st 22nd 22nd 11 21st 21st 22nd 22nd 15th 15th
Driving license class 5 A1 / B A1 / B A1 / B A2 A2 A2 A2 A1 / B A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2
Top speed 6 km / h 139 139 139 153 153 164 164 139 158 158 158 158 137 132
Battery capacity 7 kWh 06.5 13 16.3 13 16.3 13 16.3 06.5 13 16.3 13 16.3 06.5 06.5
Dimensions kg 142 185 205 185 205 188 208 144 187 207 190 210 088.1 083.6

1 ZF is short for Z-Force. Power Tank is an additional battery that can also be retrofitted, replacing the tank box with storage space and colliding with a Rapid Charger that may be located here. As of August 2019, 14.4 + 3.6 = 18 kWh capacity can be achieved with a large battery + power tank.

2 According to EU 134/2014, Annex VII

3 Net power according to Regulation No. 85 of UN / ECE at engine speed

4 Thirty-minute performance in accordance with Regulation No. 85 of the UN / ECE

5 Country-specific regulations may apply.

6 Maximum speed may vary based on charge level and other conditions.

7 5-year guarantee on the battery for unlimited kilometers.

Driving license

For the Zeros with a continuous output of 11 kW, a class A1 driving license or even a class B driving license is sufficient, B is the old class 3 car driving license. In Germany, the B driving license (i.e. class 3) may be used if it was issued before 1980 was issued. In Switzerland, an 8-hour driver training course must be completed within 4 months of receiving the B driving license. In Austria, an 11 kW Zero can be driven if the driver's license is at least 5 years old and 6 hours of driver training have been completed.

technology

All Zero models have a proprietary lithium-ion battery. Braided stranded wire is pressed with a connector.

The standard charger, which is permanently carried, achieves a charging power of 1.3 kW and it takes about 10 hours to charge a 13 kWh battery - a normal 110 or 230 volt mains socket is sufficient.

An extra available quick charger with 3.8 kW charging power can - if no additional power tank battery is installed - be permanently installed in the tank area of ​​the motorcycle or operated separately. It charges via SAE J1772 (AC Level 2) plugs at public charging stations in around a third of the time and typically achieves a range of 85 km per hour.

About the batteries of the 2012 models, the statement was made that 3,000 charging cycles are possible before the capacity drops to 80% of the nominal value. In 2019, the manufacturer announced that road machines would cover 300,000 km until capacity drops to 80%. The batteries have an integrated cell management system and a passive cooling system that only dissipates heat via the ribs of the hermetically sealed aluminum housing.

The motor is also an encapsulated unit that is only cooled by external aluminum cooling fins. In a development step, the permanent magnets of the rotor were replaced by a more heat-resistant type.

Model years

2012

Source: 1000ps.at, June 28, 2013.

  • DS Dual Sport, front / rear 19/17 "spoke wheels, 8.5 or 11.5 kWh battery.
  • S, two 17 "cast aluminum wheels, same motor, same battery variants as DS.
  • FX Stealthfighter, front / rear 19/17 "spoke wheels, slightly more torque motor, smaller 2.8 or 5.7 kWh batteries, lighter, more ground clearance, longer suspension travel.
  • XU city runabout, smaller motor, 2.8 or 5.7 kWh batteries

2014

An additional power tank battery can be retrofitted on machines of the types Zero SR / F, Zero S, Zero SR, Zero DS or Zero DSR from 2014, unless a charge tank or an additional 6 kW rapid charger is installed.

2016

The 2016 model year started in November 2015, at which time 93 Zero machines were registered in Germany.

The S and DS have the engine with 40 kW / 54 PS, the new types SR and DSR the more powerful, new types with 50 kW / 67 PS. The battery capacity has been increased for all four from 9.4 to 9.8, or from 12.5 to 13 kWh. 15.9 kWh can be achieved with the Power Tank, i.e. 2.9 kWh more.

The type FX with 21 "front wheel and coarse tires is designed for the terrain. A street version FXS with a smoother 17" front wheel is new. Battery types for both are now 3.3 and 6.5 kWh.

2017

Motorcycles from 2017 can communicate with the Zero Motorcycles app .

2019

In March 2019, a top model SR / F 2019 is described, with a steel space frame, 2 front disc brakes, 75 kW / 110 PS strong Z-Force 75-10 motor, 190 Nm torque and zero operating system Cypher III . The SR / F is equipped with Bosch Motorcycle Stability Control , which includes ABS and traction control . The model has particularly strong connectivity to the smartphone with the Zero Motorcycles app.

The larger battery variant is now 14.4 kWh, the Power Tank additional battery 3.6 kWh, so a maximum of 18 kWh can be achieved in total. The FX has the ZF 50-5 motor and the 7.2 kWh battery. A power tank for the Zero SR / F has been announced for autumn 2019 .

Logo, labels

Originally the logo consisted of 4 adjacent circles, each with the letters Z, E, R and O moved to the left of the circle. In 2019, the new top model SR / F 2019 shows a logo made of an almost square, slightly landscape-format rectangle with a rounded contour and Area divided diagonally into two halves, reminiscent of a "Z".

The type is labeled as a letter code on the sides. On the battery its size is z. B. labeled as "ZF 14.4" with a decimal point. The engine has also recently been labeled. There are the names 75-5, 75-7 and 75-10.

Motorsport

When it took part in a motorcycle race for the first time in November 2009, the Defi Electrique in France, Zero Motorcycles won first place. In 2010, Zero Motorcycles took part in the TTXGP . Much of the company's concept design of the racing machine was carried over from the Zero X production model.

See also

Web links

Commons : Zero Motorcycles  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Spec-Sheet Zero S on zeromotorcycles.com
  2. Spec-Sheet Zero DS on zeromotorcycles.com
  3. Spec-Sheet Zero MX on zeromotorcycles.com
  4. Spec-Sheet Zero X on zeromotorcycles.com
  5. Spec-Sheet Zero XU on zeromotorcycles.com
  6. Zeromotorcycles leaflet with all types from 2017
  7. Manufacturer's website for 11 kW models
  8. Zero e-bikes . 1000ps.at. Retrieved September 7, 2019.