Photo: Greg Broom

The Basics

These are really scooters, right?

Nope. Last year, electric racing prototypes started turning lap times that rival their 600-cc gas brethren and are capable of hitting speeds over 200 mph. These electric street versions are not quite as quick, but they've got plenty of muscle for keeping up with freeway traffic and, thanks to weights as low as 200 pounds, pulling ahead when the light turns green. These are very much motorcycles.

Then why haven't any of the big manufacturers gotten involved?

They're about to. In November, Honda showed off a concept electric superbike thought to be built around the electric motor from its Insight hybrid car. And Austrian dirt-bike manufacturer KTM is getting into the game later this year. But just as the move to electric cars let innovators like Tesla jump ahead of established automakers, the electric-motorcycle scene has been dominated so far by startups — mainly BRD, Brammo, and Zero. Brammo locked down $28 million in a second round of funding last year, while Zero raised $26 million.

OK, but how's the range?

If you're sticking to the city, you can get upward of 100 miles on a single overnight charge (about 10 cents of electricity). But all current electric motorcycles use single-speed transmissions. That means they're turning very high, energy-draining rpm's at top speeds: Freeway travel can cut your range by half or more. So you probably wouldn't want to ride your electric moto to Sturgis. Actually, we wouldn't recommend riding one of these to Sturgis regardless.

Buying Advice

If you're in the market for an electric motorcycle, make sure you buy one with a brushless motor. Brushes can help generate more power, but they also collect debris and dramatically shorten motor life. Also, don't let initial sticker prices scare you away. Depending on where you live, federal and state tax breaks can knock off thousands of dollars. Colorado's Alternative Vehicle Tax Credit, for example, will refund as much as 85 percent of the price difference over a gas-powered equivalent.