On Sale Date: Now

Price: $11,495–$13,995

Competitors: Brammo Empulse

Powertrains: Permanent magnet, brushless motor with forced air cooling, 420 amp, 3-phase. 5.3 kWh nominal, 6.0 kWh max capacity (ZF6); 7.9 kWh nominal, 9.0 kWh (ZF9), single-speed clutchless transmission, RWD

EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 487/273 MPGe

What's New: The buzzwords here are range and top speed. This bike is supposed to deliver up to 114 miles from a single charge and reach 88 mph, an improvement of more than double the distance and 21 mph compared with its predecessors. Previous hardware upgrades made the Zero feel more like a real motorcycle and less like glorified mountain bike, but the changes for 2012 model year bikes specifically target squeezing the most miles out of each charge.

Tech Tidbit: Zero's new batteries pack a serious wallop. They have up to 95 percent more energy density than their predecessors, and with a max battery capacity of 9 kWh, this 341-pound two-wheeler can store more than twice as much electrical energy as a Prius Plug-In Hybrid.

Driving Character: From the time you flick the kickstand up and twist the grip, almost everything about this EV feels like a departure from the typical motorcycle experience. A stepless wave of torque propels you forward, and apart from a vague driveline hum and the sound of rolling tires against tarmac, things are disarmingly quiet as you accelerate to highway speeds. There's a bit of sluggishness off the line with only one relatively tall gear to handle the proceedings. But an addictive rush of acceleration becomes available above 35 mph.

Though Zero's build quality has improved by leaps and bounds thanks to more robust construction and higher quality components, the S's modest 38-mm inverted forks and direct-link rear monoshock still sometimes feel overwhelmed by potholes and road irregularities. Our tester also felt somewhat light on the road. With a narrow profile and an aluminum frame that weighs only 22 pounds holding the structure together, you won't be confusing this electric bike with a Harley Road King any time soon.

Favorite Detail: Ever heard birds chirp while cruising along at 50 mph? The aural experience of electric bikes is unparalleled, and the feeling of pushing silently through space challenges everything you've come to associate with motorized two-wheeled transport.

Driver's Grievance: We didn't ride our Zero S test bike with ultimate range in mind but rather chose to do everything we usually do on two wheels—that is, accelerate hard, vary our speed, and ride primarily for fun, not hypermiling. That said, after several days of urban blasts and high-speed romps down Mulholland Drive, we ran the Zero dry, so to speak, until it petered out with 61.2 miles on the odometer. The figure matches the ZF9 model's estimated range for highway commuting at a constant 70 mph but falls considerably short of the city EPA UDDS estimate of 114 miles.

Bottom Line: Cruising range will continue to be the name of the game in the emerging electric motorcycle segment. Although the Zero's predecessor could run an estimated 43 miles before a refill, and the 2012 model gets an EPA grade of more than 100, our real-world 61.2-mile range suggests the electric motorcycle is suitable for short to medium commutes but not much else. With a charge time of 9 hours (which drops to as little as 2.4 hours with an optional quick-charge unit), turning this two-wheeler into a commuter machine is feasible. But riding off into the horizon is not.

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