Comments on: A motorcycle that's fast, silent and green

Zero's electric bike takes some getting used to. The benefits? Forty miles on a single charge and no stopping at the pumps.
Photos: Motorbikes go green

[random753]

compare

electric vehicles are far more efficient than gasoline powered vehicles. Yes the electricity may have been produced by coal but have you ever been near an oil refinery? Gasoline does not get pumped out of the ground as 87 unleaded. It has to be refined and thats an ugly process.

Electric motors are about 94% efficient while gasoline motors are lucky to use 15% of the fuels energy. (diesels do much better). I think our future will be electric vehicles but battery limits are so far holding back electrics. If a battery could be made that could store more power without adding high cost there would be no question that electric vehicles would replace gasoline/diesel powered vehicles.

[Dr.Al]

Current compromises/eventual solar

After looking at the intriguing performance data of the Zero bike, I began reading all of your comments. For those of you that may or may not be employed by oil companies- you can tune out now. However, for the sensible forward thinkers that intelligently responded positively towards a "green" future, I'd like to mention that I have designed a car that uses solar as the primary charging source- to utilize totally (read no oil, coal or nuclear) free energy. All three aforementioned sources have huge downsides (some more than others). I vigorously support any form of clean and renewable energy, such as the hydrogen cell, wind, thermo, etc...as well. As an aside, I've chosen not to incorporate lithium ion batteries for several reasons (cost, heat buildup, etc...).
Here's the gist of the solar driving experience: As long as you have sunshine, you have free power (on other days you plug in to the grid). Simply drive the car to work (on the freeway)and park it outside (while at work). When you come out for lunch or at the end of the day, the car will be re-charged and ready to go.
For more details, see my full product description on China Car Forums.

[Dachi]

Motorcycles already greener than Hybrid cars

First, I have not seen too many 250cc dirt bikes for $6,900, typical pricing is actually about $4,500 and they go /much/ faster than 30 MPH.

My last motorcycle was an Aprilia RS 50, it was a 2 stroke 50cc that weighed 190 lbs and would do ~65-70 MPH (http://www.aprilia.com/modelli/road/modello.asp?id=71)
The gas of the Aprilia mileage put the Prius to shame. I got mine used, but new they cost about $3500 and run circles around this electric bike but you don't see them on the roads.


Even my current Suzuki GSX-R 600 gets > 45 MPG and it has a 10.6 sec 1/4 mile and top speed of ~158 MPH. I wanted something in between but "commuter motorcycles" are a very, very small niche and I wanted to buy used.

People may only commute ~30 miles on average, but when I go riding on the bike it is not unusual to log ~200 miles in a day, less on the dirt bike (RM 125), but I tend to be getting on it more for shorter distances in the woods.

This is a $6,900 kids toy.

Also, I was in Sunnyvale recently and I noticed that although the weather is perfect nearly all the time and motorcycles can save a great deal of time on their commute every day between lane splitting and the carpool lane, few people there dare commute on them. 100% of the bikes I say leave it in a low gear so they can be heard by cars as they come up on them. I know many people on the east coast with motorcycles and the first mod they usually make is getting a louder exhaust so they can be more easily heard. Motorcycles are already difficult for drivers to see, getting on a silent bike in urban commuter traffic would almost be suicide.

[dondarko]

you're missing the point

mileage wise, yes motorcycle consumes a lot less gas than a car mainly due to weight, which is less on a bike. But considering that there is no cat. converter on bikes, they actually are blowing more pollution out of them than cars.

just a fact, look it up if you don't believe...

knowledge is power...use it

[TheManInDboX]

Not to mention the safety issues with silent bikes... The noise is what helps make you safe. Honestly i wouldnt want to be on a bike that made zero noise. If a driver cant see you, they can hear you on a traditional motorcycle, now if they cant see you, they cant hear you, and change lanes suddenly, your dead... sounds great!

[ctuna]

To all who are negitive on this Bike . What if you couldn't get gas at all. Progress has to start somewhere. And there will be a day when oil will be to expensive to burn if we haven't destroyed civilization by then., and that day is not that far away.

[Rossaroni]

Wow, the naysayers are out indeed...
Can't have cars 'cause they'll scare the horses...
The newer formulation (LiFePo)Lithium-Iron-Phosphate batteries should be good for 1,000-1,500 full-cycle recharges; so they can endure for many years if properly managed.
The battery prices will plummet as the production goes up and stations are developed where you can swap your battery set to continue your journey.
If you look at some other nascent battery technologies such a A123, eeStor and others, you'll see that very fast recharges under five minutes will be possible before too long.
This technology offers us independence from oil producers.
It's tough to crack your own gasoline, while you could power your EV from your rooftop. I suppose this makes us dependent upon solar equip't suppliers, but I'll go with them any day. I want local energy production.
Noise doesn't necessarily translate into safety; If you ride, you know that people in cars will look at you in the other lane, then continue to move into your lane even though they made visual contact.
True, recycling of the Lithium batteries needs to be done.

One last note, the author missed an e-Scoot called the XM-3500Li from extremescooters.com
Lithium ion Batteries
3.5KW hub motor
53mph top speed
up to 60 mile range at lower speeds
sub-$5k