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Zero, unlike others in the automotive marketplace is sure tight lipped about their next year models. Last year it wasn't till November before press releases. I wonder if they do this to help their dealer network clear out current year models with discounts? The option of CHAdeMO charging is what I'm waiting for and will buy from the first manufacture that provides that on their electric motorcycle. Lightning LS218 has it but hasn't started production to my knowledge. That is how important CHAdeMO charging is for me, I'd buy a Lightning at $38K before a Zero at $18K that doesn't have it. I would buy a Zero today if they had CHAdeMO. My fingers are crossed they will offer it on their 2018 lineup. 

Staying within the design parameters of the components used, my guess is based on the 29 Ahr cells being capable of 5C discharge like the old 20 Ahr cells.

Controller at 102 volts and 775 amps would be good for 106 hp. After being schooled by Doctorbass I learned that 550 amps is the input rating and after subtracting efficiency turns out 70 hp is about it, nothing left on the table.

Battery at 13 kwhr and 5C discharge would be good for 87 hp.

Battery at 16.3 kwhr would be 109 hp, controller could handle this small % increase.

Since output is limited to 70 hp, Zero is being very conservative, leaving 39 hp on the table.

Quote from: deckofficer on September 22, 2017, 02:06:47 AM

There is a big difference on long trips between a maxed out level 2 charging at 1 hour and 20 minutes vs 20 minutes on a good CHAdeMO, don't you think?

Electric Terry and others use multiple outlets to slash charging times. So if your charging park has two or three unused level 2 chargers, or a Tesla destination charger, you could be using them if you have enough battery to take the charge.

At the very best they might get 1C at level 2 so about an hour. I can't help but think Zero owners would want the ability for CHAdeMO charging. I'm 64 so time in the saddle would be limited to my butt, so the range of 100 miles at 70 mph works for me. The difference of doing 400 mile legs on a cross country trip is 3 hours at charge stations (assuming you leave in the morning fully charged and arrive at your motel empty) at Level 2 vs 1 hour at CHAdeMO.

18 months ago I moved from Northern California to Columbus, New Mexico. I didn't realized how good the EV charging infrastructure was on the West Coast until I moved. My nearest charging station for a west bound trip is 227 miles in Tucson. That kind of distance would require not exceeding 65 mph (A/C on of course) on the 75 mph posted speed limit in a typical 75 kw/hr Tesla Model S. It is a CHAdeMO charger at a good sandwich shop. I really don't want to load up the bike with multiple chargers for getting the most out of very slow Level 2 charging. I would rather use that weight allowance for more batteries. I understand with the low 102 volt system of the Zero that CHAdeMO charging is a hit or miss propitiation and that brings me to why does Zero use such a low voltage? I'm old enough to remember Detroit switching from 6 volt to 12 volt and I don't know why they didn't go to 48 volt instead of 12 volt. If Zero's basic cell building block is based on a 29 ahr 3.7 volt cell then a 306 volt battery is the way to go. Fast DC charging at all stations. Reduced weight as wire sizes can be reduced. Less heat build up because lower amps produce less heat in controller, motor, batteries and cables. I know upping the voltage isn't a simple feat. The EVs that I have built meant in most cases a complete redo. Batteries, charger, controller if present one didn't allow the higher voltage, and motor if the higher voltage caused a rpm increase above its rating. Sometimes I got away with the minimum like 25 years ago hot rodding golf carts. Pulled the (6) 6 volt batteries and replaced them with (6) 12 volt batteries. Changed to a 72 volt controller and charged with (2) golf cart chargers. Same motor but now at full power it spun at twice the speed, produced twice the hp, and instead of 16 mph it ran 32 mph. Zero could easily go to a 275 amp controller instead of the 775 amp they use now and have a bit more power in watts at the new 306 voltage. The motor would require different winding for the higher voltage. The small 1.3 kw on board charger would need to be changed. Rather than letting the Lightning get a foot hold in this market with their 350 volt cycles and total CHAdeMO compatibility, it is time to up the volts like Detroit did in the early 50's.

Now after all that, back to my problem. At present if Zero did offer 306 volt models that could use CHAdeMO, I think my only way out of my EV dark hole of SW New Mexico is the max battery option of 16.3 kwhr, a well designed fairing, and driving at a speed that mimics the city cycle range. That would probably be about 40 mph constant speed. On Interstate 10 with 75 mph posted speed, not a fun proposition but at least I'll have my 4 way flashers on. If Zero's turn signals aren't LED I would swap them out. Any ideas out there to get me out of this EV dark area? Once I make it to Tucson I can drive at freeway speeds.     

Aw, the mighty Etek. It was the first motor used on Zero motorcycles. I pushed mine so hard I bought a 2nd one just in case. But even flogging the 1st one towing a 450 lb battery trailer for a race didn't phase it at all. Still have both the first one and the new spare. The new one has only been spun by the output voltage of a single 65 watt solar panel, no battery.



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The above was 13 years ago, a good 2 years before Zero motorcycles.

Since I'm in the market for a Zero Motorcycle I have been reading their site's every page. When I read their 10 years of history I was taken back by their very first offering since its power train was the same that I fabricated in 2005.

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/10-years/

I saw the Etek motor and it brought back memories of my creation. Too bad I built mine as a scooter and not dirt bike.

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My range back then was 6 miles, but those were fun. Joined up with a racing minibike group as the only electric and by my 2nd year they handicapped me with a 50 mile long event in Arizona on Route 66. A 6 mile range wasn't going to cut it so a trailer was built to carry (6) 8 volt golf cart batteries to supplement my (4) Odyssey 680 AGMs. That poor Etek had to move a 110 lb scooter, 220 lb rider and tow a 450 lb battery trailer, but did with no issues.

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Welcome Deckofficer.  Thanks for posting the video.  That is a really neat application for the Zero motor.  I hope Zero continues to make their power systems available for other applications besides their motorcycles.

That makes two of us. When you consider the current most economical planes are the new FAA Sport Class (<1320 lbs) powered by Rotax 912 and 914, burning just 5 gph at cruise will cost with overhaul TBO figured in, about $40 per hour. 1 hour of cruising on 9 kwhr even at a high rate of $0.15 per kwhr works out to $4.35 per hour after calculating battery cycle life.

If your a air junkie that wants to rack up 300 hours per year on your retirement income, big difference between $12,000 and $1,305 per year.