Zero DS Covers 436.5 km on One Charge, a New Record

Starting at 1,850 meters above sea level in Les Claux, near Vars in the French Alps, the ride began in late September. Belgian motorcycle journalist Jelle Verstaen mounted a production Zero DS and rode through the night. After 436.5 km, the battery was empty.

Electric motorcycles have a reputation for offering too little range. US manufacturer Zero Motorcycles wanted to dispel that perception. The previous record for the longest distance on a single charge on a production electric motorcycle stood at 310.689 km. The Zero DS comes from the factory with a battery holding 15.6 kWh of energy, 13.6 kWh net, and manages 249 km in city traffic. For the record, it was fitted with the Power Tank, an extra battery with 3.6 kWh available as an accessory, which increases the energy content to 19.2 kWh. Tires and other components matched the production specification.

The route was chosen for efficiency: as little city traffic as possible, no motorways, but country roads over mountain passes and through villages. Many sections went downhill, which was hardly surprising given a start at around 1,850 meters and a finish at sea level, because downhill, regenerative braking, that is, recovering energy when braking, feeds power back into the battery. The riders kept a steady speed of around 52 km/h wherever the road and speed limits allowed, using cruise control and anticipatory riding with little braking and acceleration. At night, traffic was lighter. The ride was demanding and tiring for the riders.

The attempt was strictly monitored. Louis Renaud, a French Zero customer, rode alongside as an independent witness on his own SR/S, and Jenny Brookes, Senior Global Brand Manager at Zero, rode a production DSR/X. The battery's charging port was sealed, two pre-checked GPS trackers accompanied the ride, and a support vehicle logged the distance, times and breaks. Renaud stopped at 350 km with still 4% battery charge remaining. Brookes reached 384 km. Verstaen continued through pouring rain and strong winds in the Camargue until the battery was empty after 436.5 km. The old record was beaten by 125.8 km, more than 40% further.

For buyers, the result is mainly a matter of price and riding style. The Zero DS delivers a peak output of 45 kW, a continuous output of 11 kW, 132 Nm of maximum torque and a top speed of 139 km/h. It costs €17,660, the Power Tank costs €4,009, and the road-ready weight of the DS is 239 kg. Zero does not state how much this increases with the extra battery. Anyone planning long-distance trips should therefore treat the record as an upper limit rather than an everyday figure: it was set on a deliberately chosen, predominantly downhill route and under the steady conditions of night riding.