Zero Motorcycles has just put its name on the Guinness World Record for the longest journey on an electric motorcycle on a single charge. And it didn’t just surpass the previous record; it literally obliterated it by 78.17 miles (125.8 km), boasting a 40% improvement.
The record was set on a stock Zero DS, which ended up covering 271.23 miles (436.5 km) through the French-Italian Alps to the Mediterranean coast. It surpassed Verge Motorcycles' TS Pro’s 93.05-mile (310.68-km) record set last year.
Belgian rider Jelle Verstaen was the one who rode the DS to the record, covering the astonishing 271 miles on a single charge. But the record attempt itself involved two other bikes – an SR/S and the DSR/X adventure bike. All three of the bikes were stock, and even though the SR/S and DSR/X fell short of DS’ mileage, these bikes still managed to surpass the previous record as well.
On the SR/S was Louis Renaud, a fellow rider who initially joined the ride as an independent witness, but ended up taking his SR/S sportbike 217 miles (350 km), finishing with 4% battery charge remaining. On the third bike was Jenny Brookes, Zero's senior global brand manager, who rode a standard DSR/X adventure bike for approximately 239 miles (384 km) before exhausting its battery.
Zero
What gave Verstaen and his DS the edge was the optional Power Tank, a factory-approved accessory on the bike. It boosts battery capacity from 15.6 kWh to 19.2 kWh, giving the electric dual-sport a mighty advantage over its standard configuration. This wasn’t some backyard battery modification, but an officially supported upgrade.
This wasn't a carefully controlled laboratory experiment, either. The ride took place entirely on public roads, using smaller routes comparable to France's secondary roads rather than motorways.
Along the way, the riders crossed mountain passes, passed through towns and villages, and dealt with the usual assortment of traffic and junctions. Most of the journey took place in dry weather, although a storm hit the Camargue region, leaving Verstaen to tackle the final 60 miles (97 km) in heavy rain.
Zero says the group deliberately avoided major highways and roads with two lanes in each direction, opting instead for quieter, single-lane routes that allowed them to maintain a more consistent pace. The achievement is particularly striking when you consider that Zero quotes a city range of 155 miles (249 km) for the DS with its standard 15.6-kWh battery. Even with the extra 3.6 kWh provided by the Power Tank, Verstaen travelled far beyond the manufacturer's published range figures.
Zero
Route planning and riding technique also played their part. The group chose roads that would keep them moving, avoiding excessive stop-start riding at traffic lights and intersections wherever possible. In the mountains, Verstaen made use of the DS's regenerative braking to feed some energy back into the battery, while a steady pace along more open coastal stretches helped limit consumption.
The riders also moved considerably quicker than the previous record-holder, which had averaged just 12 mph (19 km/h). Where road conditions and speed limits permitted, Zero's trio maintained a cruising average of around 32 mph (51 km/h).
To ensure the result stood up to scrutiny, the DS's charging port was sealed before departure, and Verstaen carried two GPS trackers during the ride. A Guinness World Records representative checked the tracking data at the finish and verified the distance, making the achievement official.
The DS’ rear-mounted electric motor produces a peak output of 60 hp, while continuous power is rated at 15 hp. Now, sure, those figures aren't exactly the stuff of superbike dreams, but this record wasn't about outright speed. It was about how far an electric motorcycle could travel on a single charge. And the DS has now set a rather formidable benchmark.
Zero
It’s almost poetic … with all the talk of just how far ahead Chinese carmakers are said to be, it’s an American motorcycle company that’s just gone and put its name to the electric moto range record.
But for all that acclaim, the Zero DS isn't currently sold in the US. Boo-hoo.
Source: Zero