Its all about the range! We wanted to build the world's longest range electric bike with full fairing weather protection for our commuter customer base.
"ZEV's LRC15 remains the e-scoot distance and speed champion" (NEWATLAS Jan, 2017)
ZEV LRC
THE WORLD’S LONGEST RANGE AND FASTEST PRODUCTION ELECTRIC MOTOR SCOOTER!
LRC-11 and 15 Quick Specs
Range at 88 kph/ 55 mph -------------------225 km/ 140 m
Range at 112 kph/ 70 mph -----------------129 km/80 m
Top Speed -----------------------------------131 kph/ 81 mph
Continuous Power Output --------------------11 and 15 Kw
Peak Power Output and Motor Rating ---------15 Kw peak
Battery Capacity ------------------------------------ 10 Kwh
MSRP ------------------------------------------------$15,385
LRC 15
- STANDARD CONFIGURATION - MAXIMUM POWER OPTION - 15 kw output for mountainous terrain and higher acceleration.
36 MOSFET count controller Same range as the 11 kw motor if driven at the same speeds (but its hard to resist twisting the throttle to feel that torque roll on).
LRC 11 Kw
- EEC LEGAL LIMIT OPTION - For Europe -This option allows the ZEV to fit within the EEC 11 kw class limit for lower rated riders.
LRC 6
- COST SAVER OPTION - For the customer who wants a large touring style scooter, but who does not need the range of the 10 Kwh pack. This is the same motor package as the 11 kw bike, but with a smaller 6 Kwh lithium battery package instead of the larger 10 Kwh pack. The range drops to 80 m at 55 mph and 50 m at 70 mph.
LRC 6 MSRP $10,160
The Interstate is where this bike excels. Tested on long mountain down grades to push beyond normal operation, the bike was tested at speeds of +95 mph where it tracks flawlessly. The big full fairing and windshield make the bike track well at high speeds without buffeting.
The LRC is not just fast, it is has strong torque with the ability to climb steep inclines such as in the videos below where the slope ranges to +40 degrees in sections of the hill.
High power, high visibility, brilliant LED tail light and turn signals that are visible for 45 degrees off center for enhanced safety at night. Brilliant LED daylight driving lights for maximum recognition.
- Huge under-seat storage. Deeper in the back, the box goes under the seat latch and can handle full face helmets.
- Big enough to load for a trip. (Note the small side compartments in this large box) 62 liter capacity.
- The LRC-X has a little less storage under the seat at 59 liters. Still huge by comparison to any other bikes with only the front few inches occupied by battery and electronics compared to the standard LRC.
- There is more storage in the front under the handlebars in a large "glove box" and another compartment between the riders feet.
- The charging time for the standard LRC 15 is 5 hours on 120 volt home current (home with 20 A breaker) The LRC-X requires 7 hours. All chargers have the ability to switch between 120 and 220 voltage (with a plug adapter) which allows 10% faster charging. All chargers are stand alone, not built into the body chargers.
- High Amp fast chargers to 27 amps are available, but will not work on any power source except 220 volt. These reduce the charging time to 1/2 standard or 2.5 hours on the LRC15 and 3.5 hours on the LRC-X
- The battery pack on the LRC is an industry leading 10 kwh and 12.4 in the LRC-X. This photo of a customer LRC-15 in construction shows the size of the battery pack. 28 battery cells with each cell having 100 ah.
Unique in the world of motor scooters, the LRC uses a double rail chassis of large OD tubing to form the chassis. The rest of the world generally uses a single tube to form the side rails of the chassis, or even just one single backbone tube. The LRC then further makes the chassis rigid by making the battery box a stressed member of the chassis in effect boxing and gusseting the already very strong tube chassis. This is the secret of the ZEV handling qualities. Many assume a motor scooter cannot get down in the twisties and run with the motorcycles. It can if it is built for that ability like a ZEV.
COMPARE AGAINST THE TOP MODELS OF OTHER BRANDS.
The ZEV is in a class by its own. No other electric bike compares to the value of the ZEV
ZEV LRC BEATS THE BMW C EVOLUTION ELECTRIC MOTOR SCOOTER by a huge margin.
NEWATLAS magazine said "--consider BMW's C-Evolution, more or less the only "mainstream" e-scoot since the death of Vectrix -- but only claims 100 miles' worth of max range. The ZEV smashes it. "
- The ZEV has 1.8 times the range of the BMW.
- The ZEV has more than 3 times more storage space than the BMW.
- The ZEV costs less than the BMW.
- The ZEV is faster than the advertised speed of the BMW by 21 kmh / 13 mph.
- The ZEV does not have the belt and sprocket drive wear and maintenance points of the BMW.
- The ZEV has 150% faster charging rate than the BMW.
- The seat height of the ZEV is only 28 inches / 711 mm compared to the 30 inches/ 780 mm of the BMW.
- The ZEV has a much larger, more weather protection windscreen and front fairing protection.
- The BMW is an incredibly heavy bike at 265 kg / 583 lbs. Over 45 kg/100 lbs more heavy than the ZEV.
In short -The ZEV is lighter, faster, longer range, more storage, more weather proof, lower seat, less maintenance points, and twice the range of the BMW at a lower cost.
ZEV BEATS THE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE ZERO
- ZERO estimates its range from dyno test runs. ZEV determines its range from actual on the highway driving on USA east coast highway driving.
- The ZEV LRC-X has 68% more highway range over the ZERO DSR with the power tank at the same speed 55 mph.
- The ZEV motor has 2.5 X the torque of the ZERO motor.
- The ZEV has a bigger battery charger in kw by 38% for a faster charge.
- The ZERO lacks the vast storage space of the ZEV and he hauling ability.
- The ZEV has a 3 inch lower seat height than the ZERO.
- The ZEV seat is a big roomy seat with room for two people to ride comfortably.
- The ZERO lacks the full fairing weatherproofing of the ZEV.
Documented by owner/rider in Russia, the ZEV with 25% less battery capacity than a 12 kw ZERO, ran 35% more distance.
In the 2016 Vetter Challenge, the ZEV LRC ran less watts per mile power consumption than either of the two ZERO based streamliners in the competition and completed the 130 mile run as did the streamliners which each had larger battery packages.
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Customer testimonials
"Acceleration: --- (on standard LRC 6) it's better than my 600cc (two-cylinder) Honda Silver Wing - the torque and acceleration keep coming even as you get beyond 55 MPH. The way it works is, you have that "gearshift" button which automatically sets to 1st gear when you stop. So you roll on the throttle as you take off and it's good acceleration - but if you really want to pull away, you hit the gearshift button and you have to hold on to the handle-bars (literally!). It's no 1,000cc super bike, but it does accelerate rapidly to flying speeds and has very respectable high-speed passing capability. I think the torque curve is more like a 4 cylinder bike than a 1 or 2 cylinder bike (i.e., more top-end).
I really like the "feel" of the ZEV - so light and nimble. It has no trouble accelerating up the steep hills around here and keeping up with traffic. The reverse gear is a great help in hilly parking here also. My LRC6 (the smallest battery) is my main ride now. My previous ride was a 600CC "super scooter" (Honda Silver Wing)---before that I had a Honda Magna 750)
I like the LRCI like the LRC much better than the SWing, which is very"porky" and I'd dropped it a couple of times in my driveway. The LRC has less raw power, but the SWing has a belt clutch which noticeably limits off the line acceleration. With the LRC I have no trouble going up and down hills in the mountains of Arizona.
I can accelerate to top speed easily on a mountain grade. My perception is that this performance is due to the power band on the LRC being very flat you basically have full power at all speeds, even at top speed, I have the LRC6, and I've drained the batteries to zero (won't move) a couple of times so I know exactly how far it will go in these mountains - and it's about 75 miles with normal driving speeds (without trying to drive like a little-old-lady to conserve battery). Bear in mind these are some pretty steep highway grades here. I travel around 50 MPH mostly, but up to 65 MPH occasionally and I use full-throttle a lot to stay away from cars. I've had it up to 70 - 75 MPH or thereabouts (don't actually recall) with no problems.
I've gotten many compliments on the bike (I chose the flame-orange and the finish is better than on a Honda!!), even from BMW owners. Folks don't notice it's electric until later. "
P M (Arizona)
"Fun to ride bike. It's faster than my Harley Sportster off the line. It's a great ride, no noise, a lot of acceleration, better in traffic than the Harley, and you don't have to take it to the gas station."
Walter P (NYC)
"Loving the bike--. Just came back from a 60 mile round trip down the coast, 50-60 mph most of the way (dropping from) 96 -(to) 94 v. That second push of the shift button is a lot of fun."
MFl (Hawaii)
"First of all still having a blast. I don’t know if it’s because it’s my first motorcycle, first electric vehicle or what, but I just come up with excuses to go out and ride"
"My typical use of the scooter is for a 80 miles round trip commute in heavy Atlanta traffic. Mainly stop and go traffic with a few stretches going up to 80+mph. Range is enormous on this bike and I have zero 'range inhibition' when using it. That was one of my main concerns when sourcing an electric bike. I don't have to baby it either. I run at full throttle when the conditions permit and just use the 3 levels of 'gearing' to save energy when stuck in slower traffic"
MW (Atlanta)
"Hi ZEV team. Just wanted to share - I recently decided to go to another city (in Russia) and back in one day on my ZEV LRC, and I managed to do that without issues. This is my longest one day distance covered by bike all in one day. There and back is 250 km (155 m), -- I had to charge once during the day. I've put the charger and a 20 m cable into the rear top box, and I had a second helmet, a large scooter cover, and a back pack in the under seat compartment -had no issues finding space for that stuff. On my way there I was riding alone, but on my way back I had a passenger and 2 bags of various stuff in the under seat."
"The scooter is awesome and drives very well. Maintenance is minimal, price per charge also minimal. These were really great trips I had." I have been getting 187 km range in daily driving. (115 miles) I calculate that if ran until near empty--200 km (124 miles). "
DS (Moscow Russia)
"I have been riding as much as possible in the fast lane around town. A lot of people around here still think scooters belong hugging the bike lanes. It blows their minds when they see you passing them in the fast lane. Yesterday a driver pulled along side of me and asked what I had in that bike - a Hemi? I just smiled and told him - just a lot of electricity; you should have seen the shock in his face - priceless".
BJa
"First of all, let me say that I absolutely love the bike. It is
fantastic. I have already had it up to eighty on the interstate."
M Mills (Atlanta)
"I have to tell you today at the grocery store with the LRC was hilarious. It should've been an advertisement for ZEV! People in the parking lot were asking can you fit that in there? I just smiled and loaded it all in And had room to spare! Totally awesome!"
D Ho (KY)