Motorcycles

Radical zecOO electric motorcycle headed for production

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The redical. low-riding zecOO electric motorcycle looks destined for small scale production
zecOO electric motorcycle sketches
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
The redical. low-riding zecOO electric motorcycle looks destined for small scale production
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle - belt drive
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
zecOO electric motorcycle
View gallery - 24 images

Ongoing advances in all-electric drive trains have opened up some radical design possibilities for e-bikes, and while many of the electric motorcycles we've seen stick to a conventional layout, others are definitely looking to push into territory where only highly-customized bikes dare to tread - Britain's Agility Saietta, Canada's Lito Sora and now out of Japan - the zecOO.

Designed Kota Nezu of Znug Design, the zecOO was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in March and is reportedly headed for small scale production.

The zecOO immediately grabs you with its single sided swing-arm, hub-center steering and long, raking (if not practical) windshield, but the performance specs aren't quite as bad-ass as the low-rider aesthetic. The bike makes 55 to 85 miles (88 and 136 km) on a single charge, has a 75 mph (120 km/h) top speed and takes six hours to charge ... so while it's not exactly in the superbike club, it still stands-up in the all-electric crowd.

The price stands out to - the zecOO is expected to cost around 6 million Yen (US$70,000).

zecOO electric motorcycle

Source: Znug Design via BikeEXIF

View gallery - 24 images
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13 comments
dgate
Seeing as how one's manhood is inches from that powerful motor will it result in sterilization from the EMF emmited?
MimarSinan
Gimme the EMF and keep your emissions :)
Jonathan Collier
Great to see this type of development happening even if it is for high end market. It's only a matter of time before some enterprising company markets a conversion kit for a main-stream motorcycle to be converted to e power. Even with limited range and speed it still has benefits and as battery technology improves and costs come down, they can be upgraded. I'd like to see a kit which converts something like VFR chassis to 100mph top speed and 60 miles range, that would suit my needs very well.
Matthew Harden
AKIRA's motorcycle goes MSRP!?!
GadgetGeek
A windshield perfectly positioned to cut you in half in the event of a crash, gauges positioned to force you to take your attention WAY off of the road that lies ahead, a belt drive positioned to rip your pants… if not your entire left foot off… and all in a machine with speed no greater than a 50CC scooter… who’s “emissions” are likely a fraction of the emissions released to generate the energy for at least 6 hours of daily charging (no matter how the granola crowd wants to represent it…electricity doesn’t just magically appear… there are emissions involved in creating everything… from the coal burnt to make it to the trucks that service the lines that carry it) and all for a mere $70K???? ARE YOU FRIGGIN NUTS??
PatrikD
Ah yes, another poorly performing product designed by designers, not engineers. Because, you know, "form follows function" is so outdated, right?
Just seeing that drive belt is making me whince. If you're going to make an electric bike with big bulky wheel assemblies, who not push ahead and opt for a wheel hub motor instead?
As for those single-sided swing arms - I assume they add essentially zero to the functionality? Just an expensive gadget that's only there because someone thought it would look cool.
jerryd
Please just because some designer screw up don't blame us all. Nor are engineers all that as I've had to repair a lot of their ,let's just say products. things like ruining a $200 stereo because of a $.001 piece of alum they left out destroying the whole production run in customer's hands.
Or sony's engineer who designed their inventory system and forgot that once the inventory ran out, it didn't reorder because none were being shipped. 10k high end TVs and power amps sat on repair shops around the country for 3 months before they reordered.
Back to the cycle, it's a show bike/art that happens to be electric and marginally driveable. Nice front end though. I'm going to do some center hub steering suspensions for mine and this look good. The rest of the bike, no thanks.
The Stav
Looks very sci-fi. Why the price.....hand made? I imagine there is a speed limiter to keep the rider legal and to the increase distance traveled between charges. Acceleration must be phenomenal, but no figure quoted. Electric motors generate maximum torque from zero unlike alternatives. Could look really evil with different paint and graphics. What type of battery module is used and is there a quick charge option. Nice!
José Maertens
Way over toooo expensive! Who gonna buy this? Rich people as usual.
Stephane Brouard
@GadgetGeek: While I agree with the points you make regarding the design flaws, I have to tell you that you are not right when you claim the electric vehicle is as or even more polluting than a conventional internal combustion engine. You have to understand that a gas powered engine is very inefficient, it wastes more that 80 percent energy in form of heat while the electric motor is nearly 100% efficient. On top of it, a power plant is, in proportion. far more efficient than a small engine so no matter how dirty the electricity generation is, in the end the EV will be cleaner.