With everything going EV (electric cars, electric trains, electric buses) we thought it’s a great idea to be good environmental citizens by bringing to your attention the top 4 electric production motorcycles. Let the battle of the electric engines begin:
4. ZERO SR
[icon_text color=”gray” type=”icon_tab”]$16,995[/icon_text] [icon_text color=”blue” type=”icon_shop”]Buy[/icon_text]
In 2006 near Santa Cruz, California, former NASA engineer Neal Saki started his own electric motorcycles company. With a total of 4 models (S, SR, DS and FX) available, Zero Motorcycles is a well established company with big sales, the company recently declaring that they are going after fleet sales, and targeting police departments from all around the world. Our model of choice is the ZERO SR, the most potent unit. With a total of 67 hp(50kw) and 144 Nm from his Z-Force 75-7 motor, the Zero SR in not slow, accelerating to 60 in 3.3 seconds and having a top speed of 102 mph. The bike has a range of 136 miles, city driving, and 70 mile on the highway. If your looking for a fast and green electric bike, good for big cities with a lot of traffic jams, Zero SR is a best buy.
3. BRUTUS 2
[icon_text color=”gray” type=”icon_tab”]$19,990[/icon_text] [icon_text color=”blue” type=”icon_shop”]Buy[/icon_text]
Giving the impression of a vintage Ducatti Diavel (and that’s a good thing, most electric vehicles look numb, lack aggressiveness and scream “ECO”!) the Brutus 2 is the bad boy from our list. Having a motor with 10 kWh that runs on lithium polymer batteries and sends power through a 5 speed clutch-less gearbox, the bike has a 100+ mile range according to Chris Bell, owner of Brutus Electric Motorcycles. This “Mad Max” beast which takes about 3 hours to charge (determined by charger options) seems to have it all, mean looks, sport-cruiser performance (0-60 in 4.7 seconds) and environmentally friendly. The only downside if you drive to your favourite coffee shop is that you will be seen but not heard, the Brutus 2 lacking a loud exhaust note; a strong whispering should do for now.
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2. LITO SORA
[icon_text color=”gray” type=”icon_tab”]$44,480[/icon_text] [icon_text color=”blue” type=”icon_shop”]Buy[/icon_text]
First company in Canada to market an electric motorbike is Lito Green Motion . Their motto is “Our mission going forward is to continue to innovate and set an example as pioneers in the industry”. With a price starting at $48,500 (2 Toyota Prius) the Sora is not cheap. However if you feel wealthy enough here is what your money will buy: exclusivity, carbon fiber fairing and aluminum chassis (573 pounds), 118mph top speed and a 0-60 time of 4.0 seconds. These Café Racer / Street Fighter claims a range in the town of about 200 kilometers, and more than 100 kilometers on the highway. It has an electrically adjustable seat (for comfort or aggressive driving) via a button on your handlebars and a GPS touchscreen mounted on the tank. Where many electric motorcycles had made sacrifices, the Sora seems to be a full-fledged street racer.
1 MISSION RS
[icon_text color=”gray” type=”icon_tab”]$58,999[/icon_text] [icon_text color=”blue” type=”icon_shop”]Buy[/icon_text]
“The motorcycle industry seems to have stagnated, where the biggest headlines are filled with the smallest of improvements. Only by combining the cleanest expression of raw power, provided by an electric powertrain, with the connectivity we’ve come to expect, can anyone truly evolve the motorcycle into the 21st century. And this is precisely our goal.”
– Mark Seeger, Mission Motorcycles president
The first place had to be a superbike. Mission Motors are about to tip the scales in favor of electric motors with the new Mission RS. The Mission RS is limited to 40 units , has 163 hp and reaches 240km/h. A time from 0 to 60 under 3 seconds and the autonomy reaching 368km should be enough for a really fast weekend delight. The bike has something never seen on a production motorcycle: a fully digital instrument cluster with Internet-connection, GPS, Bluetooth, integrated image-stabilized HD camera and head-up display (HUD). If that doesn’t please you, you can add the GP Package ($16,000) which includes a lot of goods like Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes and Marchesini magnesium wheels.
