I want to go electric. I’m tired of gas stations and I’m convinced that electricity is the future

of performance. But there’s a problem. Most EVs are as entertaining as a PowerPoint presentation.

Their unwavering dedication to eking out every last ounce of juice in the pursuit of absolute

efficiency means they’re better suited to commuter duty than backroad blasts. Add in a brace of batteries and the additional weight that comes along for the ride, and even the torquiest of electric motors can’t compete with the tonnage buzzkill.

Without dropping a massive amount of coin on a Tesla Model S or even a lightly used Tesla Roadster,

there has to be something better.

I think I’ve found it. And it comes on two wheels.

From a pure engagement point of view, motorcycles are unmatched. Few things are more exhilarating

than a Sunday ride on your favorite twisting macadam road, and they make even the dreariest daily commute a high-speed chess game that requires total commitment and unwavering focus.

They’re also the perfect platform for electrification.

Unlike the majority of mainstream EV offerings — hacked-together compliance cars built atop existing

architectures — battery-electric motorcycles are developed from the ground up with electrification in mind. They’re also inherently simpler to engineer — both structurally and mechanically — aren’t saddled with exorbitant levels of safety features or creature

comforts, and don’t need the same amount of energy capacity, making them cheaper to buy and quicker to charge. And because of their small footprint, weight is less of an issue.

Naturally, there are drawbacks. Big ones. Death, for example. But the right rider with the right

gear and the right mindset has the potential to eliminate many of the issues, all while reducing their carbon footprint, lowering energy costs, traveling more efficiently, and having an absolute blast in the process.

I’m going to prove it.

Over the course of the next six months, I’ll be living full-time with a Zero DS, the dual-sport,

11.4 kWh version of the Santa Cruz-based company’s latest all-electric motorcycle. It’s a perfect fit, with nearly 70 lb-ft of torque and a range that’s good for triple-digit trips. While its 400-pound curb weight is as big of a bummer as its $15,995 price

tag, I’d rather go electric than be tempted by the liter-powered exotica I could get for a fraction of the price.