Zero Motorcycles Model S (Electric Motorcycles in Canada)

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koma said:
Batteries will degrade over time anyway, regardless of if they are being cycled or not. 50 years is a pipedream with current mass-market battery tech.
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They are not using anyones product, it's their product that they developed. As much as you may have a point in case of ie. old prius batteries keep in mind that the new Hyundai offers a LIFE TIME warranty on their hybrid batteries.

You would have to look at the latest products, considering the claims by Zero and Hyundai I think there was a breakthrough in battery development.
 
arekzjawin said:
They are not using anyones product, it's their product that they developed. As much as you may have a point in case of ie. old prius batteries keep in mind that the new Hyundai offers a LIFE TIME warranty on their hybrid batteries.

You would have to look at the latest products, considering the claims by Zero and Hyundai I think there was a breakthrough in battery development.
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Do you have any source for that breakthrough claim?

If it was a real breakthrough (including 50 year shelf life), the motorcycle business would be peanuts. You could license the technology for everything using Li-ion batteries in the world and make a mountain of cash.

No offense but do you have any affiliation with Zero?
 
koma said:
Do you have any source for that breakthrough claim?

If it was a real breakthrough (including 50 year shelf life), the motorcycle business would be peanuts. You could license the technology for everything using Li-ion batteries in the world and make a mountain of cash.

No offense but do you have any affiliation with Zero?
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No I do not, nor I have any affiliation with Hyundai. Few years ago I was researching and trying to obtain funds for a development of a ebike rechargeable by built in photo voltaic. Since then I spent some time looking at other peoples projects on http://www.evalbum.com/build

What I found interesting was that people hacked Prius to have it fully electric (software modifications), but the initial projects required often battery replacement which in turn made it less environmentally friendly than internal combustion engine use.

I found the claims by both Zero and Hyundai amazing. Something had to happen in order for them to make such claims.

Zero has it's own patented battery: Z-Force™ patented Li-Ion intelligent power pack
"Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide". I will try to research a bit more about it.
 
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koma said:
Do you have any source for that breakthrough claim?
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Spent a few min doing a quick check of academic papers and:

"Ontario, Canada (SPX) May 21, 2009, 2009

An NSERC-funded lab at the University Of Waterloo has laid the groundwork for a lithium battery that can store and deliver more than three times the power of conventional lithium ion batteries.

The research team of professor Linda Nazar, graduate student David Xiulei Ji and postdoctoral fellow Kyu Tae Lee are one of the first to demonstrate robust electrochemical performance for a lithium-sulphur battery. The finding is reported in the on-line issue of Nature Materials. (...)"

From:
Major Breakthrough In Lithium Battery Technology
Staff Writers. UPI Space Daily [Washington] 21 May 2009.

I do not have any affiliation with University of Waterloo either :)
 
This is just breaking and is a massive shift if it can be scaled.

17 April 2013
Super-powered battery breakthrough claimed by US team
By Leo Kelion

A new type of battery has been developed that, its creators say, could revolutionise the way we power consumer electronics and vehicles.

Researchers claim their technology could shrink the size of batteries by 10 times while offering the same power

The University of Illinois team says its use of 3D-electrodes allows it to build "microbatteries" that are many times smaller than commercially available options, or the same size and many times more powerful.

It adds they can be recharged 1,000 times faster than competing tech.

_67068962_batterygxd.jpg
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22191650
 
arekzjawin said:
They are not using anyones product, it's their product that they developed. As much as you may have a point in case of ie. old prius batteries keep in mind that the new Hyundai offers a LIFE TIME warranty on their hybrid batteries.

You would have to look at the latest products, considering the claims by Zero and Hyundai I think there was a breakthrough in battery development.
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What's the fine print on this life time warranty? Most of the time lifetime=marketing gimmick
 
koma said:
Do you have any source for that breakthrough claim?

If it was a real breakthrough (including 50 year shelf life), the motorcycle business would be peanuts. You could license the technology for everything using Li-ion batteries in the world and make a mountain of cash.

No offense but do you have any affiliation with Zero?
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I do. They redesigned the batteries for the 2013 models and they redesigned the motors. The company originally received some huge grants from the US government during development. They are based out of California, and all of the designs: battery, charging systems and motors are in house. Some of the materials are sourced from other countries (of course) but they are developed and built entirely in the US.

The new battery design is 25% better than anyone else in terms of weight vs power output, as reported by their engineering department. The same engineers reported that you can cycle the batteries the worst way possible (empty to full on the fastest charging rate possible) 2500 times before they drop to 85% capacity.

The reason you don't see this technology in everything is: why would the sell it if they are the best? You have something unique, and are not at a loss for funding... no reason to sell it out.
 
....joy riding would suck on this thing due to the mileage -_-

"**** guys, can you wait 4 hours while I charge my bike?" =/
 
油井緋色;1999970 said:
....joy riding would suck on this thing due to the mileage -_-

"**** guys, can you wait 4 hours while I charge my bike?" =/
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Designed to be a commuter/city bike. Not what I would describe as ideal for most of us weekend riders. My theory is: the savings in gas would pay for the other bike I had for the weekends.
 
mongol777 said:
What's the fine print on this life time warranty? Most of the time lifetime=marketing gimmick
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Like Cisco? Lifetime warranty really means 2 to 5 years, until the product the discontinued.

-Jamie M.
 
Reading about the difficulties that Nissan Leaf owners currently face in the US (and Nissan's responses) are probably indicative of the current state of the technology. Almost but not yet. Granted, motorcycles are an easier application, but everyone seems to ignore that vehicles, whether gas or electric, need a parts/repair/refuel infrastructure. The power grid is NOT an EVs infrastructure. Expensive home/business fast chargers are also not infrastructure. Tesla's recharging station model recognizes this. I think the only practical (and logistically difficult) solution would be "battery stations".

Standardized batteries, backwards compatibility and reliable inventory need to be seriously addressed by all manufacturers. If the general public isn't confident they can go driving and make it back without a tow-truck, EVs will remain a curiosity. For the record, I'd buy one since it easily fits within my commuting distances and I'm fine with no gearbox. Cost is borderline, but acceptable if the government applies early adopter incentives. What I'm not fine with is being restricted to a small radius incompatible with even a short day trip.
 
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