California firm Zero Motorcycles offers sneak peek into next generation of electric vehicles with the Zero SR
Will the £15,690 bike convince true petrol heads?
CALIFORNIA firm Zero Motorcycles wants to give us the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs). So it’s about time we popped our electric cherry with the Zero SR.
First impressions: it looks like a dinky 125cc bike. Sure, bits and pieces on it have been designed but not really styled. There’s no beauty here, or a sense of Tron-like futurism.
Zero has gone down the route of a traditional-looking bike, except of course for clutch and engine.
A ZF 13 lithium ion battery pack with a brushless motor knocks out a respectable 65hp to the rear wheel.
But the real numbers are in the 146Nm, Ducati Panigale levels of torque. The SR definitely pulls – but don’t be fooled by its proportions because this isn’t a light bike.
The standard model tips the scales at 188kg. With the battery enhancer pack, which doesn’t add performance or power, but rather range, it adds 20kg.
In comparison to a litre sports bike, 208kg isn’t bad. But with a 125cc profile, it’s a little off-putting when you get on.
Fair play to the Showa suspension. It has a lot to cope with and it does well. You can feel the low-slung mass of this bike like a Harley cruiser, except with a shorter wheelbase it’s relatively agile. Just don’t demand too much from it.
With any EV, range is the big number we need to talk about, and how far the Zero SR will go depends on you. When we flicked on the clocks with the battery extender we were given 138 miles to play with – pretty good by current standards.
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The quick-charge port, which takes about an hour, helps that uneasy feeling of running out of juice too soon.
There are three rider modes: Eco, Sport and Custom. Pulling off in Eco, it was surprising that after 15 miles of riding we had an extra 11 miles, which is basically witchcraft thanks to the Formula 1-style regenerative braking. Put it on Sport and ride hard though, our range plummeted to 76 miles after just five minutes.
At £15,690 – not to mention another £2,600 if you want the extra battery life – the Zero SR is no cheap commuter.
We’re not sure it will convince true petrol heads.
But if you like your tech and want to stay ahead of the curve, the Zero SR is a pretty good bet for now.
- To see this bike being ridden head to or search “bike world” on YouTube.
Reader's car of the week
NICK LOWE, from Tipton in the West Midlands, saw my review of the Subaru WRX STi and wanted to share his own Impreza.
He says: “This is my 2008 Subaru Impreza 2.00RX.
“While it might only have a 2-litre engine, I don’t have the high running costs of the WRX STI.
“And it still has the legendary Impreza grip. The STI badge on the grill is homage to its pedigree.”
If you want to see your car here, send me a picture and brief description to [email protected]
— PLEASED James May this week called for motorbike thieves to be killed.
Anyone, like me, who has returned to where they left their bike to find it has been rolled into the back of some scumbag’s van, will understand.
While May is being tongue-in-cheek, this is a horrible crime.
Bikers are people of passion, the bike you see parked up is someone’s pride and joy, their baby, rather than just a tool to get from A to B.
Yet thefts are rife – and cops either don’t bother or are powerless.
The fun-filled E-up is on a charge
I HATE saying the name of the electric version of VW’s supermini Up! – it sounds like a Yorkshire greeting.
Yep, the e-Up!
Also, I resent being made to use an exclamation mark when writing about it.
It feels as though I’m forced to make out, like, OMG IT’S AMAZING!
Uh-uh, no way. From here on I’m going to ditch the exclamation mark, because I do actually like this car.
Unlike other brands, VW’s drive to go green is within cars they already make, such as the e-Golf, rather than stand alone electric motors.
The 0-62 time on this little thing is a measly 12 seconds but it’s hard to believe when you stab the pedal to the floor.
Electric cars produce maximum torque at zero RPM, giving it instantaneous power. Only as you try to gather momentum do you notice its jelly legs.
VW e-UP!
Key facts:
Price: £25,280
Engine: 18.7 kWh lithium-ion battery
0-62mph: 12.4secs
Top speed: 80mph
Length: 3.6metres
CO2: Zero
Anyone who needs a car to be more than just a town runaround should not even think about the e-Up.
But buzzing around tight and congested roads, this thing makes complete sense.
It has a real-world range of about 90 miles, which is more than enough for most commutes, and I hope for your sake it’s enough to get you to the shops and back. Otherwise, move house.
The e-Up has a clever energy regeneration system which charges from the brakes that can be switched from mode to mode, depending on how much you want to conserve the battery.
A full charge will take around nine hours, so plug it in overnight and you’re golden.
No more buying scratchcards on impulse at the Esso counter.
I expected not to like this car, but it’s a tasty little thing.
There are people out there who need a car on a very local basis, and never make long journeys.
If you can get a lot of use out of a short-range car, you will make your money back on the e-Up’s £25,280 price tag.
And you will have some FUN!!!!! (sorry).