Zero Motorcycles expands lineup with an eye toward bringing in new riders

Zero Motorcycles is really leaning into its reputation as the “Tesla of motorcycles.”

The company, which is one of the leading electric motorcycle manufacturers in the country, announced two new models today: the Model S street bike, with an all-new motor; and two new sport offerings, the DS and DSR models.

The California-based company aims to bring in new riders by lowering barriers of entry like price and performance in the hopes of growing the number of people who would consider dropping tens of thousands of dollars on a battery-powered two-wheeler. And with new motorcycle purchases essentially doubling in the last two decades, Zero thinks it can capture those new riders by adding to its already impressive lineup of motorcycles.

The Zero S, or Model S, may have a familiar name, but the company insists it’s a “totally new machine,” with an all-new battery, motor, and styling to distinguish it from the previous S.

The Model S street bike sports a 14.4kWh battery, double the size of the previous S model but the same as the 2022 SR/F and SR/S. With 97 pound-feet of torque, 68 horsepower, and a 3.3kW charging speed, the Model S can reach a top speed of 104mph.

That makes it slightly less powerful than the 140 lb-ft / 113hp / 6.6kW charging / 144mph top-speed SR/F — and theoretically more appealing to a novice in the motorcycle world.

“We’re trying to create a franchise around the S line,” said Chris Metcalf, VP of marketing at Zero. “The performance and what you offer the customer can be wildly different, but you can still get that beautiful design and be a part of that premium electric experience.”

The Model S will get a city range of 154 miles or a highway range of 101 miles when traveling at 70mph. The Model S starts at $14,995, the company says. Zero recently announced a price drop across its 2022 and 2023 model lineup.

Zero is also expanding its DS lineup of sport bikes with the new 2024 DS and DSR. The DS’s motor puts out 97 lb-ft of torque and 68 horsepower for a top speed of 104mph. With the same 14.4kWh battery as the Model S, the DS will get 144 miles of city driving range or 98 miles of highway riding. It starts at $15,995.

The DSR pushes the power envelope, with 144 lb-ft of torque, 80 horsepower, and a top speed of 104mph. The larger 15.6kWh battery pack will get 155 miles of city driving or 100 miles of highway driving. A reinforced chassis and Gates carbon belt drive for better off-roading is a signature of the DSR. But those capabilities will cost you extra: the DSR starts at $19,995.

Zero announced that the 2024 SR and DSR models will be its first A2 license-compliant models in the EU. And Zero dealers will also now have the ability to upgrade to an A3 license.

“A revolutionary concept, this allows the motorcycles to evolve with the rider, something that’s impractical for ICE bikes and unheard of in other electric offerings,” the company said.