Zero Teases New Bikes - First Look at EICMA
Amid a fundraising spree and declining EV sales, Zero Motorcycles teases three new models that could break cover at EICMA
The world’s biggest motorcycle exhibition is just around the corner, and the electric bike maker, Zero Motorcycles, is looking to pull the wraps off three new models at the event.
The new models fly in the face of current trends in the electric two-wheeler segment, which has already seen Cake going through bankruptcy (before being acquired by Brages Holding AS in the summer), while Energica recently made the news public that it too was filing for bankruptcy.
Zero doesn’t, on the surface at least, be having the same difficulties, as the longest-running electric bike maker, that is still producing motorcycles, has released a teaser showing three new models.
Cunningly hidden under a sheet, what the three bikes are is unknown, and the only giveaway is that the middle bike is smaller and features a rounded headlight, and that the two bikes on either side seem to carry more complex headlight designs.
The machine shown on the right-hand side of the page is significantly larger than the other two bikes and seems to have a rally-style ‘beak’ protruding above the front wheel. The image of the bike possibly points to Zero bringing out a more off-road-inspired possibly adventure-spec offering.
Currently Zero makes the DSR and DSR/X, the first of which is a long-travel suspension road tourer, while the ‘X’ version looks like a more rugged model, although in practice has limited off-road ability. It also makes the FXE and FX, with the FXE being a supermoto-style city bike, and the FX being a very capable green lane riding machine. We won’t know until the covers come off, but it would be interesting to see Zero bringing out a machine that is a sort of halfway house between the DSR/X and FX.
The new model announcement comes at a time when Zero is currently in the process of sourcing around $120 million in investments, money which, according to Tech Crunch, will be used for expansion and to fund new models. Specifics on which models that will be used for is unknown, as Zero declined to offer any more insight into where the money will be going.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
