I ran a range/economy experiment today.
Rather than ride the interstate home I took a few side streets to the parks. My one way commute was 51 miles of 30-45mph roads with a fair bit of stop signs/lights. I consumed 36% of my battery capacity. Oh, and the ride was much more peasant, if considerably longer duration.
I have always looked for the shorter, slower routes when I am on my Zeros. Always have and always will. I am never in a hurry, I am retired.
For longer trips, I have a very nice choice of ICE bikes. But I have put more miles on my two Zeros since I have owned them than I have on my seven ICE bikes combined. And by far. The Zeros are ridden almost every day.
I actually wish there was a direct route between here and Reno that was 100% away from the freeway. If there was such with charging stations I would use it every time. I stay off the freeway as much as I reasonably can and I enjoy my two Zeros more than any bikes I have ever owned.
I have plenty of ICE bikes for long distances. The Harley is the most comfortable. The Zeros are the least comfortable-- but I still enjoy them the most of all. The lack of comfort on the stock seat is not a big issue to me as I know I will stop to charge on the longer trips, such as when I go back to Reno. Yeah, I can get back faster on ANY of my ICE bikes. My choice is still my rather uncomfortable SR.
Now that I said that, I do have a limit to how much lack of comfort I can hack. The Zero SR/F is well over that limit. Everything else I really like about the bike, it just doesn't fit me and it only took five minutes on one to be over my limit on reasonable comfort.
-Don- Auburn, CA