Yup, Math corrected Thank you.
Point still stands though $2K more for an extra 240amps through the controller?
I am sure that looks like a great deal to an ICE bike tuner and the bike will no doubt go faster once out of the restricted zone but what exactly costs an extra $2000 in a Sevcon 6 contriller compared to a 4 is my question?
From a cost perspective, very little. The controller price from Sevcon is not significantly different, certainly not by $2000.
Ex: here are a couple resellers that list prices. Zero's prices will be somewhat lower of course.
Size 4 975 €
http://kartmasters.fr/shop/fr/variateurs-triphases/835-variateur-sevcon-gen4-8035.htmlSize 6 1323 €
http://kartmasters.fr/shop/fr/variateurs-triphases/836-variateur-sevcon-gen4-8055.htmlVarious Size 4 $875, Size 6 $979
http://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/ev-controllers.htmlI don't doubt Zero has considered offering Size 6 controllers for all bikes, presumably at a lower cost but perhaps with different motors, as Brammo has done with the Empulse. Offering a 50 kW bike at a lower price would certainly increase sales, but overall profit might go down because the $2000 markup between S and SR is almost pure profit. Their business types have crunched the numbers and what they're shipping represents what they think to be the optimal mix.
Is that the best for the consumer? Perhaps not, but given the proportion of SR sales, enough people see perceived value in the size 6 upgrade to pay the difference. And certainly a bike manufacturer that goes under due to an unsustainable business model is not in the owners' best interests.
For the people that want to buy a Size 4 and upgrade to a Size 6 later, they can go Doc's route or contact Hollywood Electrics for an upgrade kit.