Tag Archives: Electric motorcycles

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Volcon Has an Awesome All-Terrain Electric Bike Coming in Spring 2021

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You Have to Love Those Fat Tires

Volcon is an electric motorcycle startup that comes out of Texas. It’s a company interested in electric off-road vehicles and the latest bike it has is called the Grunt. 

The Grunt is a fat tire electric trail bike that should come out in the Spring of 2021. The all-terrain motorcycle features some knobby tires that are wider than anything you’ll see on a street bike. They look chunkier than just about all dirtbike tires, too.

Volcon says the bike can do 60 mph and it punches out 75 lb-ft of torque. The bike also has a 100-mile range per charge and it will charge fully in six hours. That range is impressive, but the charge time is less than impressive. Still, this sounds like a great option for a trail bike.

The bike has a swappable battery pack, so you could ride until one battery dies and swap it out for another. The batteries charge off of a standard home outlet. The batteries are IP67 waterproof rated, so you can even get wet if you want.

“Having grown up riding with my father and continuing that tradition on motorcycles and UTVs with my daughters, I am excited to help lead the evolution of the powersports industry with electric vehicles that enhance the outdoor experience while reducing our environmental footprint for future generations,” said Andrew Leisner, CEO of Volcon.

Surprisingly, Leisner is the former senior VP and managing director of the Bonnier Motorcycle Group and a Motorcycle Industry Council board member.

Volcon plans to build its bikes right in Texas, but right now it’s operating out of a temporary production facility. It will be interesting to see what happens with this unique company and this unique machine. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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This Custom Zero SR/S by Deus Ex Machina Is Gorgeous

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Custom Electric Bikes are Going to be Cool

When I think custom motorcycles, I think of beautiful exhausts and the engine being a piece of art, the gem, so to speak of the motorcycle. That had me a bit worried about custom electrics, but after seeing this custom Zero SR/S built by Deus Ex Machina, I can say electric bikes are going to make sick customs. 

Zero has been on some smart collaboration moves lately, and this one with Deus Ex Machina is another good move. The two companies joined forces to create the first fully customized Zero Motorcycle SR/S. Michael Woolway is the man behind this design. 

deus ex machina and zero motorcycles

He says he came up with this design by hand instead of using a computer. He didn’t even draw it up on paper either. “I just reached back into sort of old shapes, and I started out with kind of a really old shape. And then as I came back through the motorcycle, I kind of transformed it into something I consider to be fairly modern,” he said in a video.

He used foam, plastic, shaping tools measuring tools, transfer tools, and just kind of did it as he went. “I really did it in the way it would have been done int he 30s or 40s,” he said.

That’s not to say this is 30s or 40s tech. He used high-performance Showa suspension, carbon fiber Dymag wheels, and carbon fiber bodywork. Oh, and of course the chassis and powertrain from the SR/S. He said the top section of the bike, the body kit, weighs just seven pounds. 

“This is not a normal motorcycle,” he said. “This is something different and special.”

You can check out all of Woolway’s comments in the video below.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

The Segway eMoped C80 Is Now Available for Pre-Order

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50 Miles of Range

Segway keeps adding to its electric moped lineup. Now it has the C80 eMoped. The moped came after a successful IndieGoGo campaign. The campaign reached 2,120 percent of its fundraising goal.

The C80 will do 80 kilometers per charge, which means it will do 50 miles. The scooter will do 20 mph as a top speed, and that means it’s an urban commuting machine. The bike weighs just 121 pounds, so it will be easy to maneuver. The C80 also gets some smartphone connectivity. The bike also has some pedals in addition to the 24 Ah battery and the electric motor.

Segway C80

The scooter also has the RideyGo! intelligent system. This means the scooter will automatically lock when you leave it somewhere. It will lock after three seconds. This is a smart anti-theft system.

QJ Motors SRT 750

The pre-order reduced price for a single C80 is $1,899. You can buy more than one at once, too, and save even more money. There are also accessories you can add including a detachable front basket, detachable backrest, and a detachable child front seat. It also has smart seat detection, auto-lock mode, and auto cruise.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Zero and Polaris Ink Partnership for Future Vehicles

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A 10-Year Partnership

California’s Zero Motorcycles has signed a 10-year partnership deal with Polaris. This partnership is part of Polaris’ “rEV’d up” initiative. The company wants to make in-roads into electric powersports and it has chosen Zero as the company it wants to work with, according to RideApart.

Polaris plans to offer an electric version of all its main products by 2025. That’s a pretty ambitious ask. The first product is supposed to come in 2021. Polaris owns Indian Motorcycle, so this move will likely mean we’ll see some electric Indian bikes in the future.

“Thanks to advancements in power, pricing and performance over the last several years, and with customer interest surging, now is the right time for Polaris, with Zero Motorcycles as a key strategic partner, to implement our rEV’d up initiative and aggressively accelerate our position in powersports electrification,” wrote Polaris CEO and chairman Scott Wine. “We believe this transformative partnership will enable us to leapfrog technological hurdles around range and cost while providing a tremendous speed-to-market advantage – an instant offense.”

women's motorcycle conference online

Polaris isn’t new to electric powertrains. It purchased Brammo Electric Motorcycles in 2015. This has allowed the company to make the Ranger EV UTV, but the partnership with Zero will take things to the next level.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Swappable Batteries and Improved Battery Tech Could Mean Electric ADVs Aren’t Far Off

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One of the biggest obstacles for electric ADV bikes is the fact that battery technology just simply isn’t there yet. However, that might be changing and sooner than you think, according to ADV Pulse.

The publication notes that battery technology is quickly progressing. Things like pre-charged swappable batteries, which are already in some scooters and are currently being developed via an alliance between Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, could make getting a fresh battery as easy as pulling into a battery-swapping station for fully charged battery.

Also, battery ranges continue to improve every year. Lucid Motors has a massive battery on its new car and Tesla’s future batteries are supposed to get 500 miles per charge with short charge times. At the same time battery lifespans are increasing. Tesla’s new battery is supposed to be good for up to a million miles, which will eliminate the need for most folks to replace a battery.

TVS Apache RTR 200 4V

All of these developments will take some time to make their way to motorcycles, but they will and it will likely happen before you expect it. The new battery technology is coming. Even now, it’s pretty impressive what can be done on an electric motorcycle. A bonafide electric ADV bike has yet to be seen, but with these recent developments and what’s coming, it’s likely right around the corner.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Electric Novus Is Light, But Expensive

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This Novus carbon-fibre electric motorcycle weighs just 110kg and has only 100km of city range, yet it costs a whopping $US46,000 (about $A63,000).

That’s even more than the expensive Harley-Davidson LiveWire at $US29,900 ($A49,995) which has about 250km of city range.

Novus

Even so, the sleek Novus with its hollow where you would normally expect an engine is not the most expensive electric motorcycle in the world.

That “honour” goes to the Detonator at $US150,000 (about $A215,000).

Detonator expensive electric motorcycle
Detonator

It’s not even as expensive as the pedal-assisted Black Trail BT at $80,000 ($A114,500).

However, it would just squeeze into the top 10 most expensive electric motorcycles at number nine.

Novus

The prices of electric motorcycles will eventually come down like the prices of flat-screen TVs did, but right now they are very expensive.

In fact, only rich, early adopters will be rushing out to buy most electric motorcycles.

As Novus states: “We don’t build motorcycles. We create desires.”

Novus

It’s more of a “look-at-me” thing, rather than an economical decision to save money on petrol.

There is also a lot of debate over the whole-of-life environmental impact of electric versus petrol machines, but that’s a whole other issue.

peugeot

The Novus features a carbon-fibre monocoque frame, mono fork, swingarm and rims.

Novus

Interestingly the rear suspension is hidden in the swingarm and the front suspension has a proprietary, adjustable mono fork.

The non-removable 4.3kWh battery can be 80% charged in 30 minutes and sits inside the bottom of the frame to lower the centre of gravity.

Novus

Novus is powered by a 18kW rear hub motor with a top speed of 120km/h (74.5mph) and a 0-50km/h time of three seconds. That compares with the LIveWire that hits 100km/h in the same time.

Clever features are a Supernova headlight integrated in the handlebar and LED instruments which can be swapped for your mobile phone using a proprietary app.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Miriam Orlandi Rides 4,350 Miles on Her Zero SR/S to Norway

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Miriam Orlandi joins a rare group of folks who have taken electric motorcycles far further than many people thought possible. She managed to cover 4,350 miles on a 21-day journey.

She rode from Brescia, Italy, to Nordkapp, Norway. That means she averaged about 200 miles each day. While a couple of hundred miles might not seem like much, for an electric bike, it’s a pretty good amount.

She joins others like Diego Cardenas, Jesse Dalba, and Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman as a person who has taken an extremely long ride on a motorcycle.

Orlandi noted the silence of the motorcycle as one of the things she liked and the generosity of people who let her charge her motorcycle when she needed it, according to Motociclismo.

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The motorcycle she used was the Zero ZR/S. The company launched that model at the beginning of 2020. It’s a fully-faired version of the performance-oriented SR/F from Zero. When it debuted as a sport-touring motorcycle, I saw a lot of comments about how you couldn’t tour with that low of a range. Well, Orlandi proved those folks wrong.

The charging network in Europe is pretty good. That means doing a trip like this is not only doable but it can be pretty easy, depending on where you want to go. As more and more charging stations pop up around the globe, it will be easier and easier for riders of electric bikes to do longer trips like this.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Hero MotoCorp Is Developing the Electric Ultra Sport Motorcycle

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Hero MotoCorp is working on a new electric motorcycle platform called the e.US. That stands for Electric Ultra Sport and will be the basis of the company’s new line of electric motorcycles (please note that it’s not the bike in the lead image, that’s just a previous concept bike from the company).

The e.US platform will have a variety of drivetrains and range options to suit various applications. However, much of the platform will be shared across the lineup. The bikes will be performance-oriented in most cases.

The motorcycles will be manufactured in India but will feature components from Hero’s European suppliers. The company’s goal is to position itself as one of the major companies in the EV space around the world, according to GaadiWaadi.

This will also be a move away from the company’s current image, which is primarily a manufacturer of budget motorcycles. Hero will do its best to keep prices competitive, but it also wants to change its image a bit with its EV lineup.

Electric Chopper

At this time, there isn’t much known. GaadiWaadi reported on a report that emerged that pointed to a concept being developed in Munich, Germany, along with other EV vehicles, but beyond the report saying it was happening, there isn’t much.

It will be interesting to see how this materializes and where the story goes from here. Hero isn’t the only company from India that is putting a lot of research and development into EVs, but the company does have a lot of clout in the industry, and if it could create something special, it could get a leg up on the competition.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Easy Riding On An Electric Mini-Chopper

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Now you can be an Easy Rider commuter on this WYLD mini electric chopper from Brisbane-based electric light vehicle company EMoS, formerly known as e-Motion Concepts.

The e-Moped, which can be ridden on a car licence in most Australian states, will be available in six to eight weeks and will cost from $A2999 to $A5599 depending on battery size.

Electric Chopper

Range goes from 60km up to 80km with regenerative braking and a governed top speed of 50km/h so it can be ridden on a car licence in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Extending the special moped licence to all states is one of the key points of a Two Wheel Action Group petition to state and federal ministers. Click here to read more and sign the petition.

Electric Chopper

Founder and CTO Wolfgang Roffmann says they may not offer the entry-level 60km $2999 version in Australia but they may add a more powerful flagship version.

“It depends on demand, but no immediate plans,” he says.

“We are currently taking pre-orders and the response has been very good and will have the first batch delivered within 6-8 weeks.

“We are looking for retail outlets across Australia and we are finalising national distribution. For Brisbane we will have Motorcycles R Us, in Kingston Road, Underwood, as a retail stockist.”

The WYLD features a removable battery and you buy a backup 20Ah battery with 80km of range for $600 or a 30Ah battery with 90km range for $850.

It has fat 12-inch tyres, a solo saddle, mini ape-hanger bars, digital instruments and Harley-esque styling in red or blue.

“We want our vehicles to give our customers more: more safety, more agility and more fun,” Wolfgang says.

“Just putting an electric motor into the frames of previously offered vehicles is not making use of the design freedom the use of electric motors and batteries can provide.”

CEO and co-founder Harry Proskefallas says their philosophy has been to be “different”.

Zenith Bi-Car

“We want people to turn their heads for our vehicles,” Harry says.

“We want them to be excited about the form and the function and to make a statement for electric vehicles and that is the same for the WYLD.”

Electric Chopper

EMoS has a range of electric road registrable urban transport vehicles of people and goods, ranging from the three-wheeled Personal Mobility Device (PMD) iLARK to cargo-carrying three wheelers CT-KARGO and the CT-KUBE.

Battery/Motor Options Range(up to km) RRP
60V 12Ah/ 1500W 60km $2,999.00 May not be offered in Australia
60V 20Ah/ 2000W 80km $3,499.00
60V 30Ah/ 2000W 90km $4,199.00 Limited special @ $3599 until 18.09.2020
60V 20Ah/ 3000W 70km $4,999.00 Available 2021
60V 30Ah/ 3000W 80km $5,599.00 Available 2021

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Red Electric Scooters Come With Impressive Range Numbers

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The French company Red Electric offers electric scooters in three different variants. While there are plenty of options when it comes to electric scooters these days, Red’s are special in that they offer long ranges between charging.

The three different versions are called E50, E100, and E125. The difference here is that they have two, three, or four batteries hidden beneath some interesting-looking bodywork.

The E50 may just have a 28 mph top speed, but the little scoot can do roughly 186 miles per charge. That would make it an excellent little commuter.

Next up is the E100. This scooter has a higher top speed of 50 mph, but as you might imagine, going faster means using up more electricity. It does have an additional battery, though, and it can go 137 miles before needing a charge.

red electric scooter

The E125 is the highest-spec version from Red Electric. This scooter can do about 124 miles on a single charge. The top speed for this one is about 75 mph. That’s highway speeds, folks.

fate crash accident

All scooters come with a 7-inch smart dashboard, backlighting, GPS navigation, and keyless ignition. It also pairs with your smartphone app. The pairing with your smartphone allows the bike to turn on and off automatically when you park it or hop on. You also get live stats of your bike, including battery power, and any maintenance issues that might spring up, which should be few because electric scooters are low on maintenance.

Overall, this looks like it could be a real winner. However, I think the styling is a bit odd. It’s a kind of chunky looking machine. Svelt is the last word you’d use to describe it. However, I’d suspect the folks interested in commuting or traveling on an electric scooter would be willing to put up with the styling.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com