ZERO FUEL, ZERO FUN?
Electric whiz kids Zero tell us that they’ve created the ultimate toy; a full blown electric supermoto with enough torque to pull a house down. But is it the real deal or just an oversized vibrator?
Let’s face it, electric bikes don’t really have the best reputation, do they? I mean they don’t really have much go at the top end, they don’t have great range, and they usually come out pretty chunky in both size and weight – and for all this you still have to pay a pretty hefty price. But fear not, as whether you’re a fully blown petrolhead or one of those new age tree huggers, Zero look like they’ve created something special and actually exciting… their FXS Supermoto.
Okay, glancing at the spec sheet shows that the FXS is A2 friendly with just 46 horses, but if you look beyond horsepower the FXS gives an absolutely staggering 106Nm of torque – just three less than you’d find in an MT-10. But how is this possible? Well it’s all thanks to the Z-Force Motor system, a result of ten years of solid R&D which has made for a bizarre ol’ motor. The powertrain has no transmission, no cooling system and just one single moving part, which means the power delivery is so smooth and precise that it’s belt driven – and requires absolutely no servicing whatsoever. Yep, none. And Zero have worked their tits off in order to make it go the distance as well. The Interior Permanent Magnet system means the FXS cools down more efficiently, while an internal Re-Gen system helps to recharge the power pack under deceleration in order to eke out that little bit of extra range – even with all this though it still means that on the biggest ‘capacity’ model it will only claim about a 60 mile range on a regular ride. Although you can swap batteries out, and get a quick charger to bring the time from nine hours all the way to under two…
Oh, and it’s not just the initial go that’s impressive either; Zero have not only given the FXS fully adjustable Showa suspension both front and rear, but they’ve also equipped the supermoto style steed with some big, chunky dual-piston stoppers as well. But what about the weight, I hear you say? Well even with the bigger battery of the two models it only has 133kg of weight to pull around, which works out at over 10kg less than a Husqvarna 701 supermoto – thanks to the small battery and the fact that the succinct motor has been complemented by a purpose-built light aircraft-grade aluminium chassis. So, the Zero FXS has all the ingredients to be a tasty little bundle of fun… could this be the first electric bike to really turn us on?
Battery power
At first sight, hell yeah. From a distance there was very little evidence that the FXS wasn’t housing an internal combustion power-plant, as it’s only up close where the lack of exhaust and clutch lever gives it away – before you notice there’s a battery where the engine would usually be of course. The quality of the finish on the FXS looked pretty smart as well, from the electronic dash to the finish on the chassis welding – although I’m still not the biggest fan of the big hole in the swingarm. Who wants to ride a bike that looks like it’s been fisted?
Jumping on board, the FXS had the aggressive stance you’d expect from a Supermoto, and the cockpit is a really nice place to be with a fairly comfortable seat, nice bar positioning and an easy to read dash – although something a little more advanced would’ve been nice (or a bit of colour) considering the FXS is marketed as a pretty advanced electronic machine. Oh, and the lack of a lever where the clutch should live is a bit of a mindf**k.
Hitting the ignition does, well, bugger all in the way of sound, but as soon as the little green light engaged on the screen it was ready to launch, starting in ‘Sport’ mode – the fastest of the lot. Hitting the throttle, instantly the power just surged through the rear Pirelli giving a feeling similar to jumping on a ride like Stealth at Thorpe Park – it would instantly hook up and go. So much so that with a cold tyre it would literally just spin from a standstill, and if there was any gravel, drain covers or just about anything other than grippy tarmac it
would’ve been incredibly easy way to end up on my ass and pointing the wrong way.
Even so, the initial throttle pick-up was smooth yet incredibly savage, like Celine Delion stabbing you in the back while singing in your ear. Within a few starts the sudden surge of torque becomes more palatable – similar to that feeling of ‘comfort’ when thrashing the top-end of a litre sports bike. It’s quite ironic actually, as this is the first thing on two wheels in a while that I’ve found could really do with having electronic aids like traction control.
Within a few miles I was absolutely hooked on the Zero’s insane drive, which coupled with the Supermoto-esque geometry and stupidly big stunt bike-sized rear sprocket offers some serious one-wheel antics without even trying – the FXS wants to stand to attention quicker than a teenager on his first date. With this being said though, going north of 55mph the FXS does run out of steam pretty quickly, and although of course I’d never take it above 70mph on the Queen’s tarmac, it does struggle to reach the claimed 85mph top speed; even with my chin buried in the non-existent tank. I was glad I did have it buried there however – because this gave me a clear view of the battery percentage remaining, and even though I’d only gone just over six miles, I’d already
used up over 20% of the charge. In all fairness to the FXS, I was riding the thing like an absolute cock (no change there then), but even so it wasn’t just the loss of charge that posed an issue. The air temp was a rather bonkers for this time of year 24 degrees and after the speed stretch the Zero actually felt as if it had lost a bit of its power – which it had, because the battery temp had reached 130 degrees – which isn’t what I wanted inches away from my tackle.
With one eye on the temp gauge I let it coast for a bit and it cooled down to double figures within a minute or two, but even so it was something I was careful about every time I jumped on. On cooler days it wasn’t an issue but on hot days the battery pack does generate a fair amount of heat when you’re giving it a real stinking, although due to some clever designing and placement it thankfully didn’t toast my gonads.
Eco warrior
In the interest of self-preservation (I didn’t want to blow the thing up with me on top) I tried it in eco-mode for a bit, which is meant to give 100 miles of range and offer a smoother power curve – dropping the torque figure by 40%. In all honesty Eco mode would be perfect if it’s pissing down and it did make the charge last noticeably longer (although I’d struggle to make it last 100 miles). Through town it’s a doddle to ride, as the throttle delivery was still crisp but much smoother, the chassis was nimble at low speeds and yet the FXS was still incredibly balanced – although I don’t think I’ve ever been pulled or walked out on so much in all my time of riding; I know it sounds clichéd, but
loud pipes really do save lives. Eco mode cuts the torque harshly, blunting the biggest weapon in the Zero’s armoury, so if it was up to me, I would never take it out of Sport mode… I’d rather have fun and push it home. It might be electric, but let’s face it, no one buys a supermoto to potter around at 30mph do they? I mean even if you’ve got one for commuting, you’re going to want to raz it.
And surprisingly, when giving it a good blast the Zero came up trumps. Supermotos in general tend to be more at home on the nadgery sections of road rather than big open sweeping roads, which suits the electric motor down to a tee. As soon as I unleashed the FXS on some twisty tarmac it really came into its own. The chassis offers an incredible level of stiffness and support, complemented by the well sprung Showa suspension; okay, it’s still reasonably soft, but for a Supermoto there’s more than enough support, which is bloody important. Especially on the way into corners considering the power of the stoppers; yeah, it may only be a single disc but all 320mm of it works an absolute dream, and the ABS isn’t too intrusive at all until the hardest of anchorage – although as a cheat code, a little burnout will knock it out, and then it’s even better.
Ignoring the lack of top end and battery life, the FXS is great for some heavy hitting B-road action with the light weight making it feel like a two-wheeled toy rather than a big ol’ dildo. And a toy it is, but the best
part? It makes no noise so the nimby brigade aren’t going to get all pissy about it. I was going out of my way to get lost on it, and although those Pirellis aren’t made with any thought of going off-road, due to the MX style stance of the bike, riding off road is a doddle – it can even handle the odd jump or two, although the landings can be a bit heavy. At one point I found myself on a little kart track which was a barrel of laughs; in fact, if you’re going to spend £9,000 on a toy like this a kart track might be the perfect place to make the most of it.
Once the ABS had been overridden it felt as composed on a twisty track as any high level Supermoto; and being such a small track, was perfectly suited to the awesome acceleration/pants top speed. To be honest, I don’t think there would be anything quicker round it...
Conclusion
The FXS really did give me a rollercoaster of emotions. At first it thrilled me with its insane levels of torque, then the lack of battery life and overheating infuriated me… but after some time, the only emotion was happiness. Riding bikes is all really about how they make you feel, innit? Well this makes you feel like a badass. It will do absolutely anything off the line this side of a Tesla; it’s up for any stunting you fancy throwing at it and is a proper giggle to chuck about – I never thought I’d say this but I’ve come over to the dark side. It’s not ideal being so quiet, and the range and top speed is a bit crap, but the Zero FXS is the real deal. Internal combustion isn’t dead, but the electric age is electrifying.