Electric motorcycles have made significant technological strides in recent years, but widespread infrastructure still hampers the market’s growth. Outside of large city centers and common travel routes, charging stations are few and far between. Those numbers take a nosedive when going from suburban to rural areas, which presents additional challenges for electric dual-sport motorcycles.
Despite those hurdles, Energica introduced the first-ever electric adventure bike with the all-new Experia in May, 2022. It won’t be alone for long though, as Zero Motorcycles recently gained European type-approval for its upcoming DSR/X electric ADV. Previously, a string of U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) filings revealed that Zero planned to offer the new e-adventurer in 14.4 kWh and 15.3 kWh Z-Force battery configurations.
VIN decoder intel also hinted at the California-based brand presenting a new interior permanent magnet (IPM) 5T motor in 2023. As a potential flagship model within Zero’s lineup, we wouldn’t be surprised if the DSR/X touted the advanced powertrain. Unfortunately, the European documents neither confirm nor deny that possibility, but they do divulge new details about the upcoming platform.
In addition to the 14.4 kWh and 15.3 kWh Z-Force battery options, Zero could equip the up-spec trim with a 17.3 kWh Z-Force cell. Of course, a larger battery pack would only extend the time between plug ins, but the DSR/X may not return the range needed for long journeys. According to the filings, the 14.4 kWh battery will only net 91 miles while the 15.6 kWh pack will bump the total range to 100 miles. The premium 17.3 kWh version will reach 107 miles on a single charge, but those are hardly adventure-worthy totals.
Aside from the range, the type-approval docs also list that the DSR/X will weigh in at 257 kg (567 pounds) with a wheelbase of 60 inches. Variable height numbers indicated that the model could sport an adjustable windscreen while separate width figures point at optional luggage. We expect Zero to roll out more info on the DSR/X in the coming months, but we hope the official unveiling comes with the added surprise of extra range.
