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[JaimeC]

Just came back from doing a mixture of my favorite twisties and some highway for a total of 70 miles.  Plugged it back in with 28% charge remaining and (supposedly) another 30 miles of range.  Didn't do a **** thing to conserve power either (other than rely on the regenerative braking where I could).  2016 Zero S with the 13 kWh battery and no power tank.  Not bad at all!  I think Zero was conservative with their range estimates. 

[MajorMajor]

I feel the range estimates on the FXS are pretty much spot on.

It's possible you were averaging slower than what the estimates are derived from.

[protomech]

Just came back from doing a mixture of my favorite twisties and some highway for a total of 70 miles.  Plugged it back in with 28% charge remaining and (supposedly) another 30 miles of range.  Didn't do a **** thing to conserve power either (other than rely on the regenerative braking where I could).  2016 Zero S with the 13 kWh battery and no power tank.  Not bad at all!  I think Zero was conservative with their range estimates. 

Their range estimates are spot on .. for their exact test conditions.

They claim 108 miles of range for the 2013 S with a "combined" city / highway riding cycle.
- 50% (54 miles) highway test, at constant 70 mph .. using 2/3 of the battery
- 50% (54 miles) city test, at average 30 mph, but varying .. using 1/3 of the battery

If you spent less time on the highway, but your twisties were higher speed (45-55 mph) then the battery usage you saw is pretty consistent with Zero's estimates.

If you don't spend a lot of time on the interstates, I feel for most riders there's "enough" range now to be a non-issue.

[Patrick Truchon]

I tried to model range vs speed last year.  Have a look here: https://ptruchon.pagekite.me/wiki/rangevsspped

[togo]

I tried to model range vs speed last year.  Have a look here: https://ptruchon.pagekite.me/wiki/rangevsspped

Thanks for that! Very informative.

[markmaxwell]

I have had my Zero DS13 for 3 months, and have not had the same experience that I am seeing in this thread.  My range seems close to the 9.8kwh version of the DS, but even then, I sometimes come up short. I do not have an in town comparison, but on the freeway at 65-70 mph in Eco mode it required recharging to make it home after 32 miles. I estimate the freeway range at 56 miles.
Several days ago I sent the following to Zero Inc (they have not responded yet):
I recently rode through town about 5 miles and out a country highway for 34 miles. The ride was steady at 55 mph except for slowing down for curves in the road and accelerating gradually back up to 55 mph. There was a net gain of 2,000 feet in elevation going out, so I figured that I was safe to make it back if I turned around at 50% power.
Although I drove with the same gentle acceleration and at slightly slower speeds on the return trip, I was down to 0% power after a total of 75 miles (68 miles highway and 7 miles in town).  I was able to continue for the last 3 miles with 0% power on the display, but I still had full power for acceleration and maintaining speed for those last three miles through town.
It is possible that the reduced range going mostly down hill on the return trip was due to wind direction.  In any event, my range is very close to what would be expected with a 9.8 kwh battery pack. I suggest that there is either a battery module missing or one is not connected.
I thought of one other possibility.  If the on board computer calculates the remaining range based upon the energy used, it could be that the settings in the computer are for the 9.8 kwh battery back even though there is a 13.0 kwh battery pack on board. Is this possible?

[Kocho]

Please keep us posted. Your range is certainly lower than expected. The one time I came near 0%, I'd done about 80 highway miles at noticeably higher speeds than you. On a '15 SR, which has a slightly smaller battery than yours. At 55mph you should do better than that, even though the DS is a bit less efficient than the S...

I have had my Zero DS13 for 3 months, and have not had the same experience that I am seeing in this thread.  My range seems close to the 9.8kwh version of the DS, but even then, I sometimes come up short. I do not have an in town comparison, but on the freeway at 65-70 mph in Eco mode it required recharging to make it home after 32 miles. I estimate the freeway range at 56 miles.
Several days ago I sent the following to Zero Inc (they have not responded yet):
I recently rode through town about 5 miles and out a country highway for 34 miles. The ride was steady at 55 mph except for slowing down for curves in the road and accelerating gradually back up to 55 mph. There was a net gain of 2,000 feet in elevation going out, so I figured that I was safe to make it back if I turned around at 50% power.
Although I drove with the same gentle acceleration and at slightly slower speeds on the return trip, I was down to 0% power after a total of 75 miles (68 miles highway and 7 miles in town).  I was able to continue for the last 3 miles with 0% power on the display, but I still had full power for acceleration and maintaining speed for those last three miles through town.
It is possible that the reduced range going mostly down hill on the return trip was due to wind direction.  In any event, my range is very close to what would be expected with a 9.8 kwh battery pack. I suggest that there is either a battery module missing or one is not connected.
I thought of one other possibility.  If the on board computer calculates the remaining range based upon the energy used, it could be that the settings in the computer are for the 9.8 kwh battery back even though there is a 13.0 kwh battery pack on board. Is this possible?

[KrazyEd]

Were you going by the dash, or the app? I believe that I read somewhere that once on "E", you still had 20% to 25% battery left.
If using the app, it would probably be much closer to true capacity.

[ctrlburn]

markmaxwell

Can you share the significant digits of your VIN?

Though with 2015's the look ups are wrong on the battery size... it might help inform discussion.  So don't let that make you think you've got the wrong battery in the monolith.

Also Charge times could guide to battery size, as will using the App for more precise state of Charge review.

The App has "Watts per Mile" however calculated will allow for comparative to riding style, average speed and drag.

"Eco" mode won't really impact highway driving.  It reduces available torque, and tinkers with regeneration but holding at highway speed "Eco" won't matter.

[JaimeC]

I beg to differ.  Eco mode can save you on the highway as it limits your top speed.  The biggest drain on your battery is prolonged high speed riding.  Air drag increases geometrically as speed increases arithmetically so having Eco mode limiting your top speed to 70 mph (which, in my experience criss-crossing the country for over thirty years on ICE bikes is more than enough to keep up with traffic no matter what the posted speed limit) goes a long way to stretching out your range.

I use Eco mode as a "Poor Man's Cruise Control."  Holding the throttle wide open, and you'll maintain a steady 70 mph.  Even in a 55mph speed zone, I've passed police cars who don't even give you a second look.

This is especially important on a Zero because I've discovered it's REALLY easy to be going way faster than you think you are because you don't have the usual sensations of exhaust noise, engine vibration, or running through gears.

I keep my S in "Custom Mode" on surface streets (100% torque, 100% regen) but just before I enter the freeway I switch over to Eco mode (and back to Custom as I'm exiting).

[markmaxwell]

Were you going by the dash, or the app? I believe that I read somewhere that once on "E", you still had 20% to 25% battery left.
If using the app, it would probably be much closer to true capacity.

I was going by the dash.  Except for setting the custom parameters, I have not found the app to be very useful. I would not have my phone out when riding and it looses the Bluetooth connection when I am more than about ten feet from the motorcycle.  Perhaps this is a time that it would prove useful.

[markmaxwell]

markmaxwell

Can you share the significant digits of your VIN?

Though with 2015's the look ups are wrong on the battery size... it might help inform discussion.  So don't let that make you think you've got the wrong battery in the monolith.

Also Charge times could guide to battery size, as will using the App for more precise state of Charge review.

The App has "Watts per Mile" however calculated will allow for comparative to riding style, average speed and drag.

"Eco" mode won't really impact highway driving.  It reduces available torque, and tinkers with regeneration but holding at highway speed "Eco" won't matter.

Which digits are "significant"?
Charge times do seem pretty quick for 13 kwh, but I never actually timed the recharge.

[ctrlburn]

Which digits are "significant"?
Charge times do seem pretty quick for 13 kwh, but I never actually timed the recharge.
[/quote]

If you don't want to share the last 4 for privacy... that is fine.

The rest have bearing into the configuration you have.

[Richard230]

My ZF14.2 2014 S took about 15 hours to fully recharge the one time that I ran its battery pack down to zero.  But I think that has a lot to do with the way the charger was programmed. It took about 8 hours just to get to 40%.  My Kill A Watt showed a very low power input when it first started charging and also the charger tapered off a lot before it reached 100%.  The charger's power draw varied from a high of about 1300 watts (I never saw the 13 amps that the charger is apparently rated at) to as low as 600 watts, as I recall. When it neared 100% the power dropped to around 250 watts.  But when running the battery pack down to only 50%, it typically recharges right around 10% per hour.

[markmaxwell]

Which digits are "significant"?
Charge times do seem pretty quick for 13 kwh, but I never actually timed the recharge.

If you don't want to share the last 4 for privacy... that is fine.

The rest have bearing into the configuration you have.
[/quote]

VIN: 538SD9Z21GCB0****