- Factory heated grips
- Cruise control
- Canceling turn signals
- Keyless operation
- Full color touchscreen display
It's not that I think the above are necessarily gimmicky(*) -- different strokes for different folks, and I rode year-round in Boston for 3 years, without heated grips, on an old BMW Boxer, and they sure would've been nice (-: ; However, they're not core features. Zero is still a tiny company, and I want them to concentrate on electric drivetrain and overall usability. Right now, the top 3 important issues preventing further sales IMO are range, range and range, and that's the key to further development of the company.
A Zero bike has more than enough range for most commutes, so that's not the problem; however, if all you want to do is commute short-to-medium distances, an electric (or non) scooter is a lot cheaper, and for short distances, an electric bicycle is a still more cost-effective solution.
Until I can do a day's worth of sport-touring (100mi at freeway speeds each way to get to the nice roads, plus another 150-200mi of slower twisties/sweepers), an e-motorcycle isn't on the table for me, as much as I'd like the idea, nor, IMHO
for riders who aren't EV aficionados.
This is the most significant market enabler, and if Zero aren't concentrating on that above and beyond anything else, they're making a big mistake (IMO).
The day trip mentioned above requires 3X the range of the highest current range EV motorcycle (Zero S with larger battery + PowerTank). That's not taking into account spirited acceleration/braking, a pillion, headwinds etc..
You can't add a lot of battery weight onto a bike. If the battery's range can be extended 50% by a combo of higher energy density and a fairing, and the bike can be charged to 90% in 30-45min using a DCQC, I could do that day trip with two charging stops.
This means IMO Zero should work on, in order, on the product side:
1) A fairing (probably better short-term gains than denser battery) option
2) DC quick charging, which is not just a bike-tech problem -- it turns out most DCQC chargers don't support the Zero's voltages, and Zero should take that up with the industry.
3) Denser batteries
...I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks what they have been working on (aside from marketing, which is obviously important as well) :-)
As for a larger compartment in the "gas tank", I'm pretty sure it's impossible to have one there large enough for most full-face helmets. I do wish it was metal-topped, however -- I've over a dozen tankbags. None of the strap-based ones work, and all the magnetic ones do.
Re a touch display, I think it's a bad idea on a motorcycle in terms of convenient control and visibility in sunlight (hell, I think LCD gauges are a bad idea -- I've yet to see a setup which is as easy to read or cost-effective to repair as old-style analog.)
(*) Sorry, but IMO keyless ignition is a horrible idea, especially on an electric vehicle. It makes the concept of whether the bike is currently on or not a fuzzy condition, instead of a binary one. An ignition key, where you develop the good habit of removing it from the bike as soon as you dismount, is conceptually much simpler and safer.
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Topic: 2016 Zero Lineup Announcement at AIMEXPO (Read 18141 times)