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the batteries should be lower down and stick out the sides like the jugs on a bmw, it would keep the cg lower and not look too weird

I'd be interested.

Indeed, if I could upgrade to the latest Zero and take the bricks from my old one for extended trips on my new one, I wouldn't need to even buy bricks, just a new bike...

(waitaminute...)

Terry - 1. Anything that would allow more uninterrupted range I would be interested in!  I was daydreaming at the recent reunion event that I almost wish that they had an SDS chassis that had the swappable battery compartment of the FXS, and maybe if we were lucky, a battery box for the SDS that wasn't the sealed monolith that we have, but instead one that held from 1 to 4 hot-swappable modules.  Then, not only would your idea of carrying them or even "renting them" from the dealer be attractive, but zero could basically grow the business in both directions by offering like a 1 module SDS motorcycle for a much lower price-point, allowing the customer the ability to grow into longer range as needed by getting more (for example, getting the missing 3 if you buy a bike with a 1 module subsystem.

2. It's clear to me that battery technology is about to take some sort of leap in both capacity, as well as economies of scale-lowering of price.  If a battery in the next few months offers say 4X the capacity and/or costs 1/4 the price, then the 1 module, growing into 4 module type of setup not only makes sense to me, but seems like it should be the highlight of the 2017 product line!  Seems like leapfrog in battery technology is coming like a train very fast so I'd almost prefer to have swappable modules in my SDS so I could run light and lean (imagine shaving 150 lbs off the bike for my daily commute to work and back by only running one module in the SDS bike) but still could drop in the other modules for range when the long distance trip I want to take is before me.

3. Interesting thing if you look up the Mercedes Benz designed SMART CAR, they sell it now with a price that includes NO BATTERIES, and you purchase or "lease" your batteries as a separate agreement.  Makes for interesting pricing, and while the model of the lease doesn't seem to apply to Zero batteries, especially if they outlast the lifetime of the bike, but the idea of treating the battery subsystem like a commodity much like double-AA cells in the real world brings forth some interesting ideas.

4. Although I love the beauty of the SDS style bikes and hate the thought of what seeing an FX-style cage in the SDS frame might look like (compared to the elegant and beautiful monolith) I got to believe that is a cosmetic challenge Zero scientists can easily overcome and win me over on in a future machine.

5. So Yes! Yes! Yes!  Give me a way to plug in more range when I need it - and I'll buy it - because I truly believe that the pendulum on that will go both ways, and we will get range that is adjustable thru ideas like yours (carrying the modules ready to be used), while at the same time gaining the ability to reduce the weight and module count - IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE RIDER - in times when the weekly commute can be carried by one or two of them!

6. Will we see the SDS-FXXXXX  in 2017? (S/DS/DSR elegance with the hot-swap battery box) <-I heard "Service" saying that it takes way to long to put in the 5th module into the tank area so they could start by making that a hot-swap drop in - especially if battery capacity goes up in the very near future!

7. One last thought I've not heard anyone comment on but was curious about was the idea of the "range extender" technology like the Chevy Volt originally came out with.  The idea that you'd have some small ICE engine turning a big fat electrical GENERATOR  that in turn was pumping electricity into my battery modules on the zero while I'm traveling down the road.  (Forget about the way Chevy tied the ICE motor into the drive train, which was for other reasons non-essential to this discussion)  That generator subsystem on the Volt kicks in when the batteries reach 33% charge and basically with the tiny ICE running a generator feeding the batteries; it gives that Volt about 10X the distance.  That type of setup on anything besides the volt is something I'd like to explore.  Heck-locomotives that do the heavy work on the rail network across the USA have powerful electric motors powered by what?  Batteries that are fed from a generator in the same engine compartment fed by a diesel generator!  Sure-A Zero making ICE noise wouldn't be a Zero anymore, but if I could sit that little ICE box down in place of your "module" and hook it to my battery charging subsystem, I wonder how far I could go, and how quiet I still could be.

8. Oh yeah--my Smartphone can either be recharged by plugging a cord into it, or by getting it "in close proximity" to a charging station that provides that function.  I wonder if A) it's possible to charge a zero that way-no or in some not to distant future - and b) will we ever see a day when driving down the road and stopping at a plate in the road, near an intersection - or heck even blowing past it on the side of the road - could provide the charging or boost that we need to keep us all moving on down the road....  If my phone can do it-how about my bike?

-But YEAH - gimme swappable in my S/DS/DSR so i can have more range and I'll ride with ya - side by side - and we will start a new ZEROSTURGIS together.  One where Electric motorcycles and their owners come together after riding long distances using every creative way imaginable!  Including your way of carrying those extra modules!  I'm in and up for it and willing.

Mark Hripko

I would guess most motorcycle riders do not take long trips, they take day trips. I only take day trips, my ice friends only take day trips, so I would want a range capacity where I could make a day trip without charging.  For me who only rides with a passenger, my current range is about 120miles. Most of my trips are just a bit over that range so being able to strap on a add-on battery would be be priceless. Only thing better would be more availability of fast charging.

   I don't do a lot of riding these days, so my FX fills most of my riding needs.
When I was riding more, A loop around the lake or to the mountains, or,
even both would take between 100 and 200 miles. When Laguna Seca
was having good events, I would ride there each year, around 500 miles
each way. The shorter of the rides could be handled by a Big S or DS
but, sadly, not my My FX. This is fine with me as I bought my FX for
what it is, not what it isn't. A light fun commuter bike. It commutes perfectly.
I am fortunate enough to have space for other bikes to do the other rides
if I feel the need / desire. If I had the opportunity to buy an electric
motorcycle that weighed 300 lbs. and could go 500 miles per charge on the
highway, I would of course look at it. but at this point in time I
am not aware of any. I didn't go with the S or DS as I have enough
bikes in that weight range. There are very few vehicles that meet 100%
of what someone looks for. Kind of like a life partner I guess.
If we wait until we find someone who possesses everything we seek,
we will  most likely die alone. If I waited for the BEST computer ever,
I would still not have one today. Look at all the fun and productivity  I
would have  missed by not having one ( or dozens by now ).
We get what meets out need and hopefully a little more, then
when something comes along that is better enough, we upgrade.
The journey is often as much of a reward as the completion of the trip.
Given the above, I guess I would have to put my answer in the INTERESTED
but not going to hold my breath category.

So, more or less, if a number of FX battery bricks could be harnessed reliably with the main pack, and held safely in a good position for a while, that's 42lbs per brick and 25 lbs for a supercharger or two, so up to 200lbs extra weight on the forward part of the frame and partly the main battery pack itself. You'd need a really good sturdy extension to the frame that distributed the load (much more robust than the crash guard mounts), and a really reliable system for electrically harnessing them together.

I say reliable because the rental proposal needs some normalization to keep losses low; it's either that or an ownership model where the extra batteries can be house batteries when not used for travel to recover the investment. It's definitely ambitious!


We should sketch a feasible design; I've been doing mockups in a CAD environment for various things lately and wouldn't mind trying to figure this out in concert with fairing mounts.


I'll point out that the underlying rule that makes this work for travel is that charging is limited by C rate, so adding batteries doesn't make charging slower if you can channel in that rate. That's where DC charging would help out immensely.

I would be interested if it were like others said, an option to install for special trips kind of thing. I would also be concerned about how the weight affected handling. 200 miles is the typical range between fillings on ICE tourers so I know how that plays out well.