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Some important new developments which you may have missed due to the news surrounding the legendary Daytona Bike Week event - held each and every year in Florida - and the first race of the World Superbike Championship in Australia, came from Zero Motorcycles; they have announced their 2010 line-up, a new Vice President, and a visit from the governor of California. (Of course, you could be in the position of this author and have had serious computer issues in recent weeks and just simply couldn’t get the news until it was published in the major media outlets – hopefully you are not that un-lucky.) The 2010 model year will see the electric motorcycle company, based in Santa Cruz, produce four models: the Zero S, Zero DS, Zero X and Zero MX. Zero is still the only company of its kind to produce four complete models and have them all for sale to the public. They even have a new Vice President of Engineering in one Abe Askenazi, a former Buell
engineer and accomplished motorcycle designer. And, they also have had the…charm, I guess…to get the Governator (sorry?), one Arnold Schwarzenegger – a rather serious supporter of Green vehicles - on a Zero once again!
With the new 2010 line of bikes, Zero is taking a huge step forward for the electric motorcycle industry. The advanced technology with which their street-going models are equipped allows for an increased top speed and a longer range – more on that later. All models receive updates, though, and the most significant of these is the updated power pack technology and – finally – some new colorful graphics! No more will you have to decide between black and white or black and white.
Since demand for Zero motorcycles has consistently grown at a steady rate, Zero has the ability to improve an already industry leading product. As Gene Banman, CEO of Zero Motorcycles, stated in a press release, “Zero Motorcycles continues to blaze the path for electric motorcycle technology. Our engineering team has revamped, redesigned and tested
four models that have considerable improvements for 2010. The result is more power on the street, a new look and an unparalleled riding experience.” Banman is hopeful that the changes they have made will register solidly with everyone from hard core off-road riders to the weekend warrior who rides only when the sun is out and the roads are dry.
On the 2010 Zero S and DS, Zero has designed a new power-enhancing technology they have dubbed the Z-Force Air Induction System. This new design allows for the electric motors to be lighter and smaller while also producing more horsepower. This is possible due to the Air Induction System design allowing for more air to enter the very heart of the motor to keep power-robbing heat from building up. All models also have a newly-designed throttle assembly which modulates the increased power and allows riders to take the best advantage of it with ease. The newly enhanced Zero Motorcycles Z-Force power pack technology will also be shared across the entire model range. The changes to the system significantly improve its cell monitoring capabilities allowing for far superior information coming back from the batteries installed on the bike. Having better data allows the system to be more accurate with energy expenditure and allow for better performance, more overall power, a longer lasting charge and greater acceleration off the line. All of the 2010 models will thus be thoroughly capable of
whatever challenges you can dream up for them. Zero is on their way to mastering the electric motorcycle and we are all the beneficiaries of their work.
As for Zero’s engineering pedigree, as of March Abe Askenazi now has a seat at that table. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him to the electric motorcycle manufacturer. Some of that will surely come from his time in a leading engineering position at Buell Motorcycle Company, which was recently (and most unfortunately) shuttered unceremoniously by Harley-Davidson. Askenazi held the position of Senior Director of Analysis, Test and Engineering Process; if you have read anything about Buell then you will know very well how much testing they did on their designs. And, you will also know that, no matter whether you are fond of Buell motorcycles or not, Buell loved to push the envelope with the technology used in their machines. Askenazi will be a very important part of Zero as soon as he finds the right connection between his past experience – which is enormous – and the path that Zero has set itself upon. As the Zero Vice President of Engineering, we will surely expect to see big things in the near future from this cutting edge motorcycle company.
It sounds like hype unless you know Askenazi’s body of work – a Masters of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, some 26 motorcycles from concept to production, attributed with bringing his former employer some US$1 BILLION in sales, numerous patents for motorcycle technology, and it goes on like this…He will be a valuable addition.
Finally we come to one of the more interesting politicians in the world – he is responsible for the eighth largest economy on the planet Earth – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Governor Schwarzenegger is a huge fan of environmental initiatives and is behind some of the most wide-ranging and aggressive state-level ‘green’ policies in the nation. It’s not perfect, many would say, but it is certainly enabling the 21st century green-tech industry to turn out some very fun toys which do very little to hurt the ecosystem in which we live – and leave a slightly better world for our children. The Governor took a ride on a street-legal Zero to promote his new approval for a US$1,500 state rebate towards the purchase of any qualified electric motorcycle (all Zero street-legal models are approved for the rebate). “Zero electric motorcycles are very important technology and this is great for California because this is an ideal place to ride motorcycles,” said the motorcycle-friendly Governor. It looks like these rather enjoyable and useful machines from Zero Motorcycles could be a welcome addition on the roads and trails of California…or in your garage. Remember, there is also a
federal rebate program which, together with the state money, could reduce the up front cost of buying a Zero motorcycle by 25%.
When we last heard from Neal Saiki, a few months back, he said that we should stay tuned to Zero Motorcycles for some important announcements. At the time he was referring to his company’s entry into the TTXGP electric motorcycle race series this year. However, he could have easily been speaking about all of the incredible news coming from the marque over the last few months. Zero Motorcycles has already provided us with some excitement in 2010 – upgrades, updates, new personnel and a continuing commitment to making the best electric motorcycles you can buy and ride today. |
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (March 23, 2009) – Zero Motorcycles will make history again the weekend of April 4-5, when they host the Zero Motorcycles’ 24 Hours of Electricross. The event will be the first international endurance competition for off-road all-electric vehicles and is a landmark moment in the electric vehicle industry. Teams from across the United States and around the world have signed on to be a part of making history and for a chance to be included in the Guinness World Records.
