Not many bikemakers dare to depart too much from building motorcycles. Even less so for an electric motorcycle company, especially when you have “motorcycles” in your name.
Well, apparently, Zero Motorcycles doesn’t care about those boundaries. After all, who the heck said you can’t do both? And Zero has done exactly that, now venturing into the scooter segment in addition to its illustrious e-motorcycles, with the LS1 electric scooter.
Unveiled at this year’s EICMA, the LS1 was introduced as a part of Zero’s “All-Access” initiative, which is all about making electric two-wheelers accessible for more people. And when you talk about accessibility, the low-step, fuel-efficient, maneuverable, zippy rides offered by scooters make a strong case for top billing in the commuter mobility market.
The LS1 comes with two swappable batteries. Both of these are mounted on the floorboard, but Zero also offers you an optional third battery. In its stock two-battery setup, the e-scoot offers up to 71 miles (115 km) of range, while the more expensive three-battery configuration offers a 106-mile range (170 km).
The swappable batteries can also be charged indoors with the included 800-W charger, which would take about 4.5 hours to go from 0–95% or about 3 hours to go from 20–80%. You can also opt for an optional 1,500-W fast charger that almost halves those times.
Rolling power comes from a mid-mounted motor that produces 11.3 horsepower and 38 lb.ft (51 Nm) of peak torque. Top speed is listed at 62 mph (100 km/h), while Zero states a “sustained” top speed – which the e-scoot is able to "hold for an extended period of time" – is around the 53 mph (85 km/h) mark.
The scooter is built around a compact chassis and short wheelbase – both instrumental for maneuverability in tight spaces. You get 4.3 in (109 mm) and 4.1 in (104 mm) of travel at the front and back, respectively. The scooter comes with floating, dual-piston brakes at the front and a floating, single-piston brake at the rear.
There’s ample under-seat storage, large enough for a helmet or groceries. Electronic aids like ABS and traction control, alongside a low seat height of 30.7 inches (780 mm), and 291-lb (132-kg) curb weight mean the LS1 is built to be versatile enough for European streets.
And there's the rub. It doesn’t seem like it will be sold in the USA. "The LS1 is designed for the people we see every day in cities like Paris, Milan, or Barcelona," said Zero CEO, Pierre-Martin Bos. "It’s simple, stylish, and makes electric riding accessible to a whole new group of riders." That's probably a smart decision, since scoots aren't that popular in the US anyway. The company is likely looking at the other markets in addition to Europe though, where small commuter bikes and scooters play a much more active role in the transport mix.
The LS1 was built as part of Zero's growing cooperation with Zongshen, which also saw the company launch two trail-oriented e-motos. Considering the Chinese collaboration, the pricing is pretty decent too: around €5,200 (US$6,000) depending on the country and market. Zero says that deliveries will start in the latter part of December this year.
Source: Zero Motorcycles
