‘It’s an otherworldly ride’
Clever science delivers eerily quiet blasts with a dose of range anxiety thrown in
The first few rides on Zero’s electric DSR remind me of what it’s like when you ride abroad for the first time on holiday. You have to mentally remind yourself that you’re doing something different as you acclimatise to the familiar, but alien, experience. Riding on the continent, you need to re-programme your brain to stay on the right. With the Zero it’s a case of telling your brain you mustn’t blip the throttle as a standstill, and that waving your left hand or foot in search of clutch and gear levers isn’t going to have any effect. And the lack of engine noise is a persistent reminder of this other-wordly riding experience. Once you’ve pulled away in silence, the noise of motion reduces the oddity. The lack of engine accompaniment is replaced by wind, tyre, chain and traffic noise all conspiring to deliver some normality. Acceleration is brisk in Sport mode, but the clocks reveal that 32% of the battery’s capacity has vanished over the last 18 miles. That equates to about 54 miles before an eight-hour stop is required. Hardly ideal. Eco mode increases the range considerably, but it caps top speed to 70mph and feels like you’re riding through treacle compared to the liveliness of Sport mode. Preparation and power conservation are constant companions with an electric vehicle. Anything more than a commute can become a major logistical operation, with pre-planned charging stops, and an ever-present niggling fear of running out of juice.