Zero SR. Anyone planning to copy, import or assemble?

Attachment 15781

Same torque as a 1000cc same power as a 600cc, 220 km (171 miles) range and this is the 2014 model no first gear throttle snatch.
I'd love to buy something like this is say 2017-2018 when the technology has improved, and the price has dropped further.
The question is will this or anything like it be available in China anytime soon, or have they already landed, but the price reasonable or to become reasonable? If I was a Chinese M/C company and I wasn't trying to copy this I'd need to be taken out and shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YIEVdFt0OE

I read somewhere that the base and a lot of the parts are made in China. The batteries in Taiwan I think and the final assembly is in US.

I think if you look really hard someone could find the factory.

But have you seen the Harley....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbfj1MGrh1M
man,,,,

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Originally Posted by Hok

I read somewhere that the base and a lot of the parts are made in China. The batteries in Taiwan I think and the final assembly is in US.

I think if you look really hard someone could find the factory.

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Interesting....so with parts being made in China that means China has a financial interest and that means they will (probably) be available in China and there will (probably) be a Chinese made or licensed version which will be road legal sooner or later......sweet.:riding:

I like the Harley, but as yet the range isn't quite where I'd want it...yet. I think 300-400kms and I'd be interested.

I'm just worried about a quiet and fast bike in China... I have an Er6n and it is too quiet everyone ignores me and my horn. But with my friends Harley its like the Red Sea....

Here is part of the article: Attachment 15789

Well true and ER6 or its slightly less good clone the 650NK (what I've got) but in China you have to avoid avoid avoid by principle. If you have a big fat motorized Harley sure some people will part out of the way and hear you coming but it only takes one kid with a cell-phone and head phones listening to bastardized 90s Italian techno with Chinese overdubbed lyrics for the whole thing to resemble a ketchup bucket challenge. :icon10:

Actually funnily enough we had two kids on Cellphones at a light in pudong and Jay walking all my friend did was twist the throttle and those two kids fell flat scrambling back to the sidewalk then we pulled away and said don't jaywalk. and of course they just asked what bike was that ... the look on the faces were worth two beers

Someone months ago was planning, or in the process of, electric motorcycles here on mychinamoto. I had kept in touch via email, and they even had a site, but nothing as of lately. Look through this section (Industry news) to see if you can find them. I'll look through my PM's because I think I pm'd a few times with one of the principals in the venture.

OK, found their site, but alas, they have given up!

http://www.electroforcemotors.com/

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Originally Posted by culcune

OK, found their site, but alas, they have given up!

http://www.electroforcemotors.com/

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I think in the days they were trying to get going with the ideas electric motorcycles the advantages were not as obvious as the are now.

Some of the principals of electroforce motors have given up but others have continued on with R&D and prototyping under a new name, Evoke Electric Motorcycles.
www.evokemotorcycles.com
But it has always been a very different breed of electric motorcycle compared to Zero and Brammo. Those guys make some great performance machines that are inherently powered by electricity, but going to that level of performance also has a price tag that follows.

A lot of the feedback from great communities, such as MCM, have steered us into a "commuter" direction and hopefully finding the sweet spot in terms of pricing. Evoke Motorcycles are not going to be liter-bike equivalents, but they are certainly more fun and peppier than a 150 - 250, that will get you to your destination without gas and with very little downtime for mechanical repairs.

We will certainly keep the community afloat on our upcoming products and prototypes, or you're very welcome to follow our Facebook page where we update things more frequently.
Facebook Page

Thanks for the continued interest in electric motorcycles and we hope to continue to expand in China and abroad.

Fantastic! Will definitely join the facebook page, and as ZCM888 mentioned--these bikes are becoming more relevant than even 9 months ago. I am no green person for the most part (no, not against it either), but I do think the ultimate statement of sorts would be to recharge an electric motorcycle that is commuted on with solar panels. A lot of the argument against rechargeable vehicles is how much energy is needed to charge them (power plants) so having enough energy from solar panels to recharge an electric motorcycle (heck, or car) would make much of the anti-crowd (perhaps fueled by these people holding vast investments in oil companies?) arguments moot points.

Logistics would factor in, too, but I live in Yuma, AZ which was recently in the Guiness Book of records as being the sunniest city in the US, so sun is not an issue here. I already commute on a 200cc Chinese bike, 33 miles round-trip daily, winter and summer (it does get cold in the winter in the early morning, but is dry year-round), so am already an ongoing experiment of sorts just by the kind of bike I ride (including through the dead of summer where it is HOT), so I think an electric bike would be another type of transportation for commuting in need of experimentation.

Personally I am environmentally aware, but the argument for electric is far more convincing than just the environment.

My father has a Chevy Volt in the UK and I'm amazed with the idea, he plugs it into a solar array in our garden and 30-40 miles is free before the engine comes on. The Zero SR has power and range nearly acceptable to me, but in 3 years at the current rate of development it will be undeniable as a commuter and just a generally good naked bike if the price can get forced down. In fact lighter and more powerful than gas. Sure in China these bikes are essentially coal powered because that's where the power comes from, but that's not the fault of the consumer if they have no choice, and the power consumed is still far less than gasoline.

The future will probably be that most 2005-2014 and onwards bikes are considered unpopular because of increasing efi and emissions throttle snatch and nasty lean running. Many people will have an electric motorcycle as their daily driver an a pre 2000 'classic' carb bike likely will some suspension and brake upgrades for sunny Saturdays. Probably a similar thing will happen with car fans. I'm really keen to have a smooth programmable throttle.

If I lived where you do Culcune, I'd seriously be considering buying solar and and electric bike, if I had the money.

Attachment 17240

Motrak DS
Choice of 72v or 96v (most standard e-scooters in PRC are 48v). Choice of electric hub output 1000w-2000w. Choice of battery pack 35Ah or 50Ah etc.

Attachment 17241
Zero DS

Similar to the Zero DS, although not necessarily comparing an apple with an apple, or like with like.

Those Motrak bikes are deceivingly small in real life. Pictures make them look good but they only come up to my hip in total height. They're mini-bikes albeit powered by batteries.

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

Attachment 17240

Motrak DS
Choice of 72v or 96v (most standard e-scooters in PRC are 48v). Choice of electric hub output 1000w-2000w. Choice of battery pack 35Ah or 50Ah etc.

Attachment 17241
Zero DS

Similar to the Zero DS, although not necessarily comparing an apple with an apple, or like with like.

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Correct the Motrak is not a full sized bike, should have added that but didn't think to. The Motrak and similar aren't a full size by any means, but they aren't exactly mini either. Perhaps your definition of mini and mine might differ. I am thinking back to the days of childhood where I rode the occasional mini motorbike (50cc) at school fairs or on relatives farm. Now those were mini bikes - tiny even to me then as a 8,9,10, 11 year old child.

Like I wrote I'm not necessarily comparing the Motrak with the Zero, since the two are arguably very different in multiple ways.

But ~USD12000-17000 for the Zero which is not available/legal in PRC thus far, versus Motrak DS ~USD1000-1800 which is at least available in PRC, and might be legal - as some areas no longer require electric bikes/scooters to be plated.

Are these the size of the Grom ?

Yes, I believe so. They market them as 3/4 bikes, so around 3/4 the size.

Not really a Zero, but we're developing full size electric motorcycles in Beijing.
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Originally Posted by natesiy

Yes, I believe so. They market them as 3/4 bikes, so around 3/4 the size.

Not really a Zero, but we're developing full size electric motorcycles in Beijing.
Attachment 17309

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I can beta test! :icon10:

The bike right? Not the model. :mwink:

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Originally Posted by natesiy

The bike right? Not the model. :mwink:

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Either. :naughty: