Zero Motorcycles reveals improved range and faster charging 2018 models

ZERO Motorcycles has today unveiled its 2018 motorcycle range, which it claims will ‘raise the bar’ for electric motorcycles thanks to a 10 per cent extended range and six times faster charging.

A bold claim, but one the company is well qualified to deliver, having grown to become the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains in a little over a decade since it was founded.

For 2018, Zero’s engineers have managed to extend the Z-Force platform’s energy capacity by more than 10%, which will be seen in three new batteries – the ZF14.4, ZF7.2 and ZF3.6. Zero claims that these units will offer more range and better performance than any two-wheel electric vehicle currently on the market. 

Models featuring the largest battery – the ZF14.4 – and with the optional range extending ZF3.6 Power Tank will boast 18 kWh of energy and a (city) range of up to 223 miles – the longest range of any two-wheel EV on the market.

‘Zero continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the electric motorcycle space,’ said Todd Andersen, Zero’s VP of Marketing, Sales and Aftersales.

‘Riders who’ve been waiting for more range and faster charging don’t have to wait any longer to go electric.’

These new lithium-ion batteries will be maintenance free and backed by a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

At the same time, Zero has revealed a 6 kW Charge Tank that provides charging up to six times faster than when only using the standard charger. The £2,300 factory-installed device will be compatible with Zero S, SR, DS, and DSR models, and when used in conjunction with the charger will drop charge times for ZF7.2 models to one hour and ZF14.4 models to around two hours.

Other performance upgrades that will be seen across the range include 11 per cent more rear wheel torque for models with the ZF7.2 battery and 30 per cent more power and torque for the ZF14.4 Zero S and Zero DS.

New colours and graphics will also be seen across the range, while riders will now be able to firmware updates on their 2017 and 2018 models via Zero’s smartphone app.

Pricing will remain the same when the models enter dealerships in November, with the exception of a £500 increase on the flagship Zero SR and Zero DSR.

Read our review of the Zero SR and DS here.