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[CliC]

So...I'm curious if any Zero (or Brammo, too, for that matter) owners have a commute of, say, 15-20 miles or more that they have to cover at 70+ mph (on an Interstate, for example).

I thought about this because I just got my 2012 DS back from the Glitch 2.0 recall flash (never experienced G2.0 personally, fortunately). To test everything out, I got on the highway near my house and opened her up. Was running about 80 for a minute or so before I got the dreaded blinking thermometer, and, not long after of course, the merciless cut in power . I got off to come back home, and when I got back on, I couldn't even maintain 70 at that point, the thermometer blinking and the controller cutting power until I dropped back to around 65. Ambient was cloudy and low 80s at the time.

Where I live presently, this isn't a big problem, but from where I'm looking to move to where I now work, the best route by far will be 20-30 miles of toll road (the Houston beltway, for those familiar with the area). When traffic isn't bad, speeds can average 70-80 mph on it, and sometimes you have to get up to that speed for a half mile or so even to get around spitting gravel trucks, people with transient cell-phone lobotomies, etc. in the right lane. I'm thinking I'm going to have to investigate some sort of air ducting from the front of the battery around to the dead air where the motor is, because I'm not going to be pleased getting the power cut on this road with a gravel truck driver on his cell phone behind me. And I'll be potentially riding when it could be high-90s and sunny.

Anyway, has anyone come up with a good solution to this? Are the 2013/2014 Zeros (maybe not the Brammo Empulse, as it is liquid cooled) affected by this as well?

Thanks, Corey

P.S. on a rather sad side note, the Houston Zero dealer is probably going to drop the line. In over a year they sold one bike and gave one away - didn't even get any 2014s in Even here in the oil capital it still would make a great get-around-town vehicle - and there are evidently charging stations aplenty near the center of town (who woulda thought?)

[nigezero]

CliC; really interesting. I only own a vintage 2010, but simple physics even on mine says cooler running electric equals more fun (power) and more efficiency.

I totally dig the simplicity of the Zero approach, but maybe they haven't quite got it right? Frankly, it worries me down here in Australia due to temperature extremes. It'll be interesting to see how the new ones perform here, selling pretty well so far.

I bet there is a (tiny, niche) market for a clever aftermarket cooling system.

[frodus]

I've never had an overheat problem with my Empulse and I've had it sitting in the sun and gone right on the highway and home. I have a commute of maybe 15 miles each way and it's 65-70. I've gone on Highway for over 40 miles at 70+ on a warm day without issue.

[Richard230]

Zero claims that the 2014 models will level out at 80 mph when running full throttle.  When I had my 2012 S I never saw an overheating problem.  I tried taking it up a three-mile long 6% freeway grade a couple of times and it hit 85 mph (83 in "eco" mode) and  stayed there to the top of the hill without any problem.  I have run my 2014 bike on the freeway at 75 mph in 75-degree temperatures and have yet to see more than 175 degrees on the motor temperature display.  But I can imagine that running with the big dogs on a Texas freeway when the ambient temperature is 110 degrees F, might upset the motor some.     Passive air cooling does have its limitations.

[WindRider]

I rode a 12 DS all last summer in temps up to 110 deg F and only once did I see the temp warning light come on.  After a little slow down it went right out.   This was at freeway speeds around 70-75 MPH in 110 deg F heat. 

A real bonus to riding electric in the heat is that there is no engine heat baking the rider at stop lights or in stop and go. 

I got the temp light to light up briefly on my 13 FX when in full hooligan mode doing some full throttle acceleration "testing" back to back.   A little bit of regular speed cruising and it cooled right down. 

Air cooling works for the Zero motors.   I would not worry about this at all. 

[CliC]

Thanks for the responses. I'm not worried about the motor cooking itself, as the controller is obviously preventing that. I'm worried about not being able to maintain 70 or 75 mph. That will be annoying (to me and others) and possibly hazardous where I'm planning to ride.

It does sound like the 2014s are improved in this regard, though. And evidently Empulses don't have issues, either.

[Richard230]

Thanks for the responses. I'm not worried about the motor cooking itself, as the controller is obviously preventing that. I'm worried about not being able to maintain 70 or 75 mph. That will be annoying (to me and others) and possibly hazardous where I'm planning to ride.

It does sound like the 2014s are improved in this regard, though. And evidently Empulses don't have issues, either.

Empulses don't mind the heat so much because their motor is water-cooled.

[benswing]

I regularly travel about 12 miles on highways in the mid 70mph range on my 2012 Zero S and haven't had a temperature cutout. 

[kensiko]

The Zero SR has bigger cooling fins, it may be better for your situation.

[CliC]

Hmm. Benswing, perhaps I need to do some more testing. I presume you had the second firmware flash on yours?

I'd love to get a SR, but was hoping not to have to upgrade quite this soon.

[oobflyer]

My 2012 S also cuts power after riding at speeds above 75 MPH. On my bike it's like clockwork - it happens every time - at right about 4 or 5 miles of speeds in excess of 75 MPH. Interesting that it doesn't happen with everyone consistently. Maybe it always happens to me because I live in a valley - same terrain - just long, flat roads. It's annoying when it happens, but then I don't usually ride that fast anyway. Usually I'm the guy in the slow lane trying to maximize my range
 

[ultrarnr]

If you ride an SR at 80 MPH the temp light will go steady after about 33 miles but power wasn't cut by 37 miles when speed was cut back back due to speed limit changing. Of course this run used about 63% of the battery.

[benswing]

There aren't many opportunities for me to sustain speeds above 75 around here, too much traffic near NYC.  Sorry, wish I had some data to help shed more light on this topic.

The only time my bike cut out (for 5 seconds or so) was when I hit 100mph and had been pushing 80's & 90's for a few miles.  I recall it was also rather hot that day. 

[CliC]

  Usually I'm the guy in the slow lane trying to maximize my range
 

Haven't yet had to do that, fortunately, but I supposed I should have good alternate routes committed to memory just in case. (I need to do that anyway in case of traffic accidents or lane closures on my typical thoroughfares.)

I'll do a little more testing this weekend, and if I get some time, pull the right-side bodywork off and see if I can run some kind of duct between it and the battery. I can't imagine that dead air space behind the battery where the motor is is greatly helping cooling.

On a side note, I was riding back from the dealer after the firmware update, and got behind two pickups doing short-distance racing between lights. After getting tired of hearing and smelling their overly-rich exhaust, I moved to the left lane to pass normally. About that time, they gave each other the signal and hit it. But I was already rolling fast enough to get by Zero's initial-start nanny, rolled on, and smoked both of them (figuratively only) to the next light. On a "slow" 2012.

THAT'S why I like EVs

[Lipo423]

I have experience the overheat cut-off a few times (especially in summer). Maybe these guys have a solution for you...

http://www.picoamps.de/automotive/en/products_tuning_en.htm#cok