Auto review: Zero’s DS 6.5 is a commuter rarity
Battery electric automobiles have broken most of the barriers to ownership, even if they haven’t broken sales records.
Tesla overcame the performance and luxury hurdles with its sleek Model S. The Chevrolet Bolt EV smashed previous range limitations. In the two-wheeled electric world, Zero motorcycles may help shake commuter resistance among motorcyclists.
But just as electric cars haven’t achieved much market penetration _ battery-powered plug-ins account for less than 1 percent of all new U.S. car sales _ electric motorcycles are still a relative rarity in the two-wheeled world.
“Electric motorcycles are really good, and they work really well, but this is an extremely niche market,” said Cycle World Editor in Chief Mark Hoyer. “If you’re looking at an electric car, it’s easier to package it to carry the weight of the batteries, and get the range and give it luxury appointments. With a motorcycle, all of that is harder.”
Zero does not release sales numbers _ except to say that sales grew 50 percent from 2015 to 2016 and are expected to grow more than that this year.
But the Scotts Valley, Calif., company controls most of the U.S. electric motorcycle market. Although there are several electric scooter companies fighting for market share, and Alta Motors and its Redshift MX are the recognized leader in electric motocross machines, most of the electric motorcycles on the street today are made by Zero.
I recently completed a monthlong loan of a 2017 Zero DS 6.5. The object of the experiment was to discover whether a lighter-weight, lower-cost, limited-mileage electric motorcycle would aid in my commute.
It wasn’t my first Zero experience. I reported on visiting the factory for one story and have tested several of its models, such as the lightweight FX.
Although I’ve been riding internal combustion two- and fourstroke motorcycles for decades, and truly love the sounds and smells they make as they carve the canyons and hurtle down the highways, I have also come to love the tremendous torque and sweet, smooth silence of the electric motorcycle.
But how would it behave as a daily driver? Where, how and how often would I charge it?
The DS, one of six models currently offered by Zero, is a dual sport bike. Its brushless, aircooled Z-Force electric motor produces the equivalent of as much as 60 horsepower and 81 pound-feet of torque.
It features fully adjustable Showa suspension, front and rear, and Bosch ABS brakes. Strapped with Pirelli MT-60 dual purpose tires _ on a 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear _ it has a 33.2-inch seat height.
Quick off the throttle, the most powerful DS has been tested rushing from zero to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. That machine retails for $13,995.
The DS 6.5, new for 2017, is the stripped-down city version. Its smaller battery makes 34 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque. While it’s not as quick as the big-battery version, it’s more affordable, with a suggested retail price of $10,995. (The company’s FX model, which features an even smaller battery, can be had for $8,495.)
It’s also lighter. The smaller DS 6.5 weighs 100 pounds less than the more powerful DS model.
The larger-battery DS has a claimed city range of 147 miles; the DS 6.5 has a city range of about half that.
The Charge Tank accessory, a $1,995 option that enables the Zero to plug into Chargepoint and other public stations, cuts charging time on the DS 6.5 to about 90 minutes for a full “tank” of juice _ from about 4 { hours without that accessory.