Zero Motorcycles has been around for a while, despite only really showing up in the market in a big way in the last couple of years. A specialist company making electric motorcycles, you won’t find any screaming inline fours, rumbling v-twins, or chattering parallel twins here. All you will find is the low whine of an electric motor and the sound of the wind rushing past your helmet.
Although they’re an American motorcycle brand hailing from California, Zero is backed by several industrial investors from around the world, making it a truly global company. Their biggest push in recent years, such as with their 2021 lineup, has been improving battery life—probably because, with the recent surge in interest in electric bicycles, battery research and development has accelerated across all electric transportation options.
Here are all the new Zero motorcycles being offered in 2022.
2022 Zero Street Models
2022 Zero SR/S
One of the newer bikes from Zero, the 2022 SR/S is the flagship sport touring motorcycle from the electrified company. As range and power delivery are crucial when using batteries, the fairings for the bike are shaped to cut through the air as cleanly as possible.
The SR/S comes in two specs, Standard and Premium. Both provide drive via a passively air cooled permanent magnet AC motor that puts out the equivalent of 110 HP and 140 lb-ft of torque.
The standard bike has a combined range of 118 miles at 55 MPH, with a top speed of 124 MPH. The biggest thing the Premium trim has is a 15.6 kWh battery capacity and a 6kW built in charger, compared to the 14.4 kWh battery capacity and 3kW charger in the Standard trim.
- MSRP: Starting at $19,995
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero SR/F
The Zero SR/F has been the primary sales model of the company for many years now, and shares 98% of its DNA with the SR/S flagship. The biggest and most obvious difference is that while the SR/S is a sportbike, the SR/F is a naked sport. No windshield, no fairings—just a huge battery pack, a direct drive AC motor, and your right wrist to make it all work.
Of course, without the aerodynamic slipperiness of fairings, the SR/F does suffer a slight hit to its estimated range, although only by a couple of miles in the combined estimate. The same Z-Force 75-10 AC motor that is in the SR/S also lives in the SR/F, with 110 HP, 140 lb-ft of torque, and the same Standard and Premium trim options.
- MSRP: Starting at $21,495
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero SR
One of the newest bikes in the Zero stable, the 2022 SR takes the ideas, the engineering, and the design of the SR/F, and packages it in a smaller, more energy efficient setup. This is not to say that the SR is a boring bike (far from it), it just uses newer battery cells alongside the Z-Force 75-10 motor.
The big thing about the SR is the ZF14.4+ Z-Force Li-Ion Intelligent battery. This battery provides 14.4 kWh of charge to the motor, which translates to 74 HP and 122 lb-ft of torque.
A top speed of 104 MPH is more than fast enough even for freeway riding, and the more efficient packaging of the battery means faster charging (4.5 hours instead of 6 at 3kW). More importantly, it also translates to a lower cost of ownership and lower MSRP.
- MSRP: Starting at $17,995
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero S
The electric motorcycle that started the street segment of Zero, the S is designed to be an in-city lightweight naked sport bike. It has a curb weight of just 313 lbs and a 7.2 kWh battery, which provides a combined city/highway range of 70 miles.
Top speed is near-as-makes-no-difference to 100 MPH, and the Z-Force 75-5 AC motor provides 46 HP and 78 lb-ft of torque. One of the best things about the S, however, is that it will charge in about 5 hours off a standard 120V wall socket, and is compatible with charge stations for electric cars for rapid charging.
The average cost to charge the power pack to full is estimated to be only $0.81, and with an MSRP of just over $11,000, this is a great entry point to electric motorcycles without needing to break the bank.
- MSRP: Starting at $11,195
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero FXE
The 2022 Zero FXE hearkens back to the time when Zero was known as Electricross. Styled as an electric supermoto bike, the FXE is designed to be a nimble, agile, super lightweight street machine, and it hits those marks perfectly.
Powered by the ZF7.2 battery like the S, the FXE also shares that model’s Z-Force 75-5 AC motor, with 46 HP and 78 lb-ft of torque. However, as the curb weight of the FXE is only 298 lbs, and it has long travel suspension, this electric bike will traverse pretty much any surface you can find in a city without worry.
With a top speed of 85 MPH and a combined estimated range of 75 miles, this is definitely a bike that can do the daily commute, give you a little fun on the way home, and charge overnight off the wall plug for less than a dollar to do it all again tomorrow.
- MSRP: Starting at $11,795
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero FXS
The 2022 Zero FXS is quite possibly the sneakiest motorcycle in this entire lineup. It has way more subtle supermoto styling than the FXE, a slightly higher seat height, and a 3.6 kWh lightweight battery. What the FXS offers, however, is monstrous amounts of supermoto fun.
Yes, the ZF3.6 battery is the smallest of the street models, and only has a combined estimated range of 37 miles—but the Z-Force 75-5 AC motor only has to motivate 251 lbs. The bike also only draws 650 Watts to charge, which is less than some higher end gaming computers, and will charge to full from empty in 5.1 hours at a total estimated energy cost of $0.40.
Put that all together, including the 85 MPH top speed, and this is a runabout supermoto that won’t break any speed records, but will plaster a grin to your face the entire time you’re in the saddle.
- MSRP: Starting at $9,495
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero Dual Sport Models
2022 Zero DSR
The 2022 DSR is the top of the line in terms of what Zero is offering for those that enjoy both the road and the trail. Since Zero started off as Electricross, an off-road electric dirt bike company, this is where they flex their engineering muscle.
The DSR comes in two specs, the 14.4 and the 14.4 Power Pack. Both use a Z-Force 75-5R high power AC motor to send out 70 HP and (more importantly) 116 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is 102 MPH, and the bike can sustain a cruise at 85 MPH without worry.
Combined range at 55 MPH is 122 miles without the Power Pack, and charge times vary with how you charge it up. From the wall, an overnight charge is needed to charge it completely from empty (9.8 hours), but if you have any of the accessory chargers, that can drop to as little as 2.5 hours.
- MSRP: Starting at $15,695
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero DS
The quintessential dual sport motorcycle from the brand, the 2022 Zero DS literally wears what it is on its sleeve. It’s not trying to be the torque monster that the DSR is, nor is it trying to pretend to be a naked sport like the SR/F.
With a single spec at 7.2 kWh battery, with a 1.3 kW charger built in, the DS is meant to be used hard for its combined 61 miles range, and then charged back up rapidly (5 hours with the standard charger, or less than 1.5 hours through accessory chargers) so you can realistically ride again the same day.
With the Z-Force 75-5 AC motor, the bike has 46 HP and 78 lb-ft of torque, but enough suspension travel and grip in the tires to ride in even the most adverse conditions. Mud, rain, snow, sun—the DS will perform in it all, and happily at that. This is a bike that proves that electric dual sports are not just a blip on the radar; they are here to stay.
- MSRP: Starting at $11,195
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
2022 Zero FX
In a way, the FX model from Zero is quite literally the genesis of the company—as it was their first model when changing names from Electricross to Zero.
For 2022, the FX model continues to be their primary off-road bike, although it does qualify as a dual sport. The off-road roots show in the nearly 12 inch ground clearance, 34.4 inch seat height, knobby off-road tires, 19 inch front wheel and 17 inch rear wheel, and the tall handlebars for extra leverage during rock crawls.
The 2022 FX comes in two specs, 3.6 kWh and 7.2 kWh. The estimated combined range of the 3.6 is 34 MPH, with a top speed of 85 MPH. The bike uses the Z-Force 75-5 AC motor, but with the 3.6 it automatically detunes itself to 27 HP. With the 7.2, it gives the full 46 HP.
Most importantly, however, is that with both specs, the torque is 78 lb-ft. By far the lightest bike in the Zero lineup at just 245 lbs, this is a bike that can ride the road, but was meant to ride the trails.
- MSRP: Starting at $11,595
- Learn More: ZeroMotorcycles.com
They lost a loyal customer and fan in me with their new “subscription model” that requires you to pay a fee to digitally “unlock” performance on a bike that you’ve already paid for in full. From and exciting young start-up with riders in mind, they’ve grown to place their investors (or wallets) before their clients.