Zero sets Guinness World Record for longest ride on a single charge
From the Alps to the Mediterranean. That was the journey the Zero DS took when it traveled 271.2 miles in one stretch, making Zero Motorcycles the new Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an electric motorcycle on a single charge.
The record-setting ride was completed on a Zero DS, which features a standard 15.6 kWh battery paired with the 3.6 kWh Power Tank, bringing total capacity to 19.2 kWh. Aside from the Power Tank modification, Zero says the bike was completely stock, with standard tires and no record-specific modifications,
Zero claims the goal was not only to break a record, but to find out how far a production e-motorcycle could go on public roads, using the technology already available to Zero riders.
Before the ride, the Zero team meticulously planned their route to maximize battery life. They avoided major roads with heavy traffic, rode at night, kept speeds in check, anticipated terrain changes, and used Zero technology like custom ride modes.
The three-person team eventually reached the 193-mile mark, which was the previous world record. However, one rider kept going — even through thunderstorms — and eventually rode 271.2 miles, surpassing the previous world record by just over 78 miles.
The record-breaking ride came at a significant time for Zero, the company says. This year marks 20 years since the e-motorcycle manufacturer was founded in a California garage. Battery technology has come a long way since then, and Zero says it is celebrating the feat not only because it showed Zero technology’s capability, but because its customers can pick it up and ride it tomorrow.
“A record only means something if riders can relate to it,” — Pierre-Martin Bos, Zero CEO.
“These were three production motorcycles, exactly as they leave our dealers, ridden on public roads – one of them by a Zero Motorcycles customer. All three surpassed the previous record. That is no one-off; it demonstrates what our technology can deliver today, and we intend to keep raising the bar.”
