Zero unveils plan for cheaper electric motorcycles, shows off first models

Zero Motorcycles, the leading premium electric motorcycle maker, has just unveiled at EICMA its bold new plan to enter the more affordable end of the e-motorcycle market.

That’s right, to all those who have spent years pining for cheaper Zeros, they’re finally coming.

And this isn’t just lip service. Not only did Zero unveil its first two lower-cost models on a pair of novel platforms, but the motorcycle maker claims it will have six unique models all priced at under US $10,000 in the next two years.

It’s part of the brand’s new “All Access” initiative built around adding more affordable models to the Zero lineup. But Zero isn’t doing it alone. This All Access plan is made possible in large part due to the success of Zero’s partnerships, namely Zongshen, a leading Chinese motorcycle maker.

The newly-announced X line of lower-cost electric motorcycles debuted today, starting with the Zero XE. The company is calling this its “first true trail bike”, and it certainly looks the part. On the tech side, it gets a 4.3 kWh removable battery – one of the largest removable batteries in the industry. That battery powers a 15.5 kW (21 hp) peak-rated air-cooled motor that propels the bike up to 85 km/h (53 mph). The US version will be off-road only, while the European version will homologated for street-legal use as well.

Perhaps most eye-opening, the XE model starts at just US $6,495 and €6,500 – an unheard of price for a Zero motorcycle.

“The new X Line delivers the best performing models in one of the most exciting growth categories from the most trusted electric brand in powersports,” said Sam Paschel, CEO of Zero Motorcycles. “Our mission from day one has been to revolutionize the two-wheeled transportation industry, and we will stop at nothing to deliver on that promise to our growing global community of riders.”

But the prices get even better, with the Zero XB carrying a mere US $4,195 and €4,500 price tag. Of course, the XB is an even smaller bike, closer in line to Sur Ron or Talaria in both look and raw spec sheet figures.

Consider the slightly smaller 7.5 kW (10 hp) motor and the pint-sized 2.4 kWh battery, which is easily removable for charging. The bike also has a slower top speed of just 28 mph (45 km/h). Zero rates it with a range of 47 miles (75 km), though time will tell how accurate that figure proves to be.

Just like its larger brother the XE, the smaller XB will also be available in a street-legal version in Europe but off-road only in the US.

The partnership seems to offer an interesting mix of advantages from Zero and Zongshen. From first glance, the bikes look largely similar to Sur Ron-style machines. They likely benefit from Zongshen’s ability to offer cost-effective electronics such as motors and batteries. But they also carry signature Zero influences, such as the factory-tuned suspension, the high-quality TFT instrument panels, the clearly visible and highly detailed user interface, and the precision throttle response.

Electrek’s Take

The new X-line is absolutely the takeaway message from the EICMA show. The rest of Zero’s lineup largely received cosmetic updates with new colorways, making the new All Access plan the star of the show. Six new models in two years is certainly impressive, and Zero is well on its way with the first two offerings in the XB and XE.

I would have loved to see Zero target an on-road model in the North American market the way they did for Europe, though I understand that regulations regarding licensing provided a unique advantage to bring those bikes in as lower-class homologated models with lower licensing restrictions. Perhaps part of Zero’s plan for the other four models could include affordable on-road electric motorcycles for the US market.

As it stands, the XB and XE mark interesting new additions to the market, not because these form factors don’t exist yet, but because they haven’t existed from a company like Zero. You can buy a Sur Ron or Talaria today, but it’s not going to come with the same level of suspension, the same high quality screen, the same refinements in the software, or many of the other unique advantages Zero is offering.

For many young riders that are drawn to these classes of vehicles, that won’t matter. There’s no shortage of riders flocking to Sur Rons and Talarias these days. But for other riders who want to know they aren’t just getting a basic Chinese bike, but rather a Chinese bike with more sophistication and refinements, there’s something to be said for entering into the Zero family. And for Zero’s part, they’ll certainly be glad to bring in new riders that wouldn’t have looked at a $15k Zero before, but now suddenly like what they see in a $4-6k Zero.