Yes nice goal to go head to head with gas. I don't think they have to stick to that though to make a great bike. It depends on what type of gas bike I suppose. One thing that looks like a big problem is the battery pack being square at the front bottom. When I cross a log, stump, or rocks, that leading edge is going to get pounded and break something. Seems like a supermoto setup will be ok, maybe mx track also, but outdoors woods I am concerned. Their webpage says it is made to be ridden on trails, and tough to handle crashes. I am good at breaking stuff.
Unfortunately seat height is high like gas bikes. Zero kept that lower which is nice. Maybe a guy could make a new subframe to lower the seat since there doesn't appear to be anything under there.
Will be nice to see them actually finish the project and put the bikes up for sale. Then comparison articles can be written instead of articles on Zero's bikes alone instead of comparing to other electrics.