A Zero DS electric has established a new Guinness record in the category of “The longest trip made by an electric motorcycle on a single charge”after touring 436.5 kilometers without “refueling”thus surpassing the previous record of 310,689 kilometers. The feat was carried out on roads open to traffic, on a journey that took the Zero DS from the Alps, near the border between France and Italy, to the Mediterranean coast.
During the journey, the motorcycle crossed mountain passes, winding roads and small towns, with the added difficulty of torrential rain during the last 100 kilometers. The entire route was recorded using GPS and was independently verified by the famous entity in charge of registering this type of records.
Zero Motorcycles celebrates its 20th Anniversary in style
Founded in 2006, Zero Motorcycles celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Two decades after helping establish electric motorcycles as a serious alternative to their combustion counterparts, the brand continues to push the boundaries of what electric motorcycles can achieve and demonstrate the potential of electric mobility on two wheels. Jarno MiddelboschSenior Director of Global Marketing at Zero Motorcycles, commented:
“We have been pushing the limits of electric motorcycle technology for 20 years, and our community has traveled millions of kilometers to prove it. This new record confirms that we continue to strive to improve the performance of our motorcycles. Concern about autonomy continues to be an obstacle for future users. By exceeding 400 kilometers of real range on a single charge, we demonstrate the potential of our technology and we want to encourage a new generation of riders to discover the advantages of Zero Motorcycles.”
Zero DS: The motorcycle chosen for this historic milestone
The Zero DS is the brand’s most accessible proposal within the dual-sport segment, designed to combine daily commutes with off-road escapades. In Spain you can drive with the A1 license or with the car license (B) with at least three years of experience. As the little sister of the DSR/X, it shares the propulsion technology Z-Force by Zero Motorcycles.
This combines a high energy density battery with an air-cooled permanent magnet motor and a regenerative braking system that allows part of the energy to be recovered during decelerations. This technology was key to achieving the record. The Zero DS used maintained its original configuration, without modifications and equipped with the optional Power Tank offered by the brand.
The motorcycle has a battery 15.6 kWh and an autonomy approved in the city of 249 kilometers. With the Power Tank, which provides an additional 3.6 kWh, the total capacity increases to 19.2 kWh. The distance traveled was possible thanks to the efficiency of the assembly: the high energy density of the Z-Force battery, the reduced energy losses of the transmission system and the ability of regenerative braking to recover part of the energy during decelerations, whenever traffic conditions allowed it.
Zero’s record in detail
The protagonist of this record was the motorcyclist and fan Jelle Verstaenat the controls of a stock Zero DS. It was not a laboratory test. The record was set on public roads, including French secondary and departmental roads, without driving on motorways. The route covered the type of conditions that users face every day: city streets, towns and country roads, and uneven mountain passes.
The weather added an unexpected difficulty to the route. After a good part of the journey with dry weather and pleasant temperatures, the arrival in the Camargue region coincided with an intense storm that accompanied the motorcyclist until the end. The last 100 kilometers were completed in pouring rain, testing both rider and bike.
The route was carefully planned to maximize efficiency without compromising actual driving conditions. It crossed the Franco-Italian Alpine region towards the Mediterranean coast, with a route designed to flow as continuously as possible, while minimizing the most energy-consuming stops and starts at traffic lights and intersections.
On mountain sections, Jelle took advantage of regenerative braking to recover some of the energy during descents and return it to the battery. On the most open roads, on the way to the coast, it maintained a constant speed to reduce energy consumption, especially sensitive to increasing speed. The record attempt also had a team component.
Three fans joined the feat
Three bikers at the controls of Zero Motorcycles took the start together and The three managed to greatly exceed the previous mark of 310,689 kilometers. Louis Renaud, owner of a Zero Motorcycles, he initially participated as an independent witness of the route, although he finally decided to join the challenge with his own series SR/S. It managed to complete 350 kilometers and ended up with 4% battery remaining.
For its part, Jenny BrookesSenior Director of Global Brand at Zero Motorcycles, traveled 384 kilometers at the controls of a standard DSR/Xuntil the battery is completely exhausted. However, it was Jelle Verstaen who managed to go the furthest with his Zero DS equipped with the optional Power Tank, setting the new Guinness World Records at 436.5 kilometers on a single charge.
In addition to surpassing the previous distance mark, the three motorcyclists completed the route at a considerably higher pace than that recorded in the previous record. Whenever traffic, road conditions and speed limits permitted, They maintained a cruising speed of approximately 52 km/h. Pierre-Martin BosCEO of Zero Motorcycles, commented after achieving this record:
“A record only makes sense if riders can identify with it. These were three production motorcycles, as they leave our dealerships, ridden on public roads and one of them by a Zero Motorcycles customer. All three surpassed the previous record. This is not a one-time thing; but rather a demonstration of what our technology is already capable of offering, and we intend to continue raising the bar”. For more information about this Guinness World Records you can visit the event’s official website.
