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The Zero is pretty exciting.

https://www.zeromotorcycles.co...

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2...

https://www.tesla.com/en_CA/se...

https://nikolamotor.com/one

https://www.tesla.com/en_CA/mo...

https://www.arcimoto.com/vehic...

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com...

I doubt battery replacement will be a big expense in 20 years. In real life, we've seen those batteries perform such that they should still have 94% of their charge capacity after 100,000 miles. At 20 years in and 12,000 miles per year, 240,000 miles, they'll quite likely have 85% of their capacity--which means the 150 mile range is a 136 mile range. With high-voltage DC J1772 combined charge connectors, you can power that up in an hour (Tesla has supercharger stations boasting something ridiculous like 50% charge in 20 minutes). Some of these Teslas have a 280-mile range, which still gives you a 238 mile range--over 2 hours between recharging on a road trip. The extra 15-30 miles is as many minutes of driving, so is insignificant--either the long trip has too many charges already, or it's a minor inconvenience that shifts your schedule by a few minutes.

Consider modern vehicles have a 200-300 mile range. My Mazda 3 needs a gas tank fill-up every 240 miles--about 2 weeks. Since most people aren't filling their 12-gallon tank every day ($800/month of gasoline), we can surmise the range of a Tesla is well more than the range required for nearly 100% of driving. When that range decreases by 15%... you're still using 10% of the battery's charge, then charging back up when you get home. Shrug.

The battery has to start physically failing before it needs real replacing. Even if it's a $12,000 battery, it'll be an $8,000 battery or a $6,000 battery in 20 years (plus inflation--which means it might still be a $12k battery, but the median income will be $118k anyway so it's still half as expensive). Amortize that over 20 years. Gas today is $600/year (with 2% inflation over 20 years: $891); battery tech taking half the labor (low-maintenance, self-driving, electric freight haulers to deliver heavy shit; automated factories) means you'd be looking at $300/year paid in the inflated future. You're comparing roughly $20k of gas to $6k of batteries--and, again, you can probably defer the battery replacement.

Consider that plus the damn things require a bit under 1/4 of the cost of gasoline--you're looking at $5k over 20 years there. So you're saving $9k out of $20k. You could also get a Zero SR and pay about $1,620 over 20 years instead.

(Not affiliated with them in any way.)

(Not affiliated with them in any way.)

Why wait for Tesla when you can get a Zero motorcycle?

You could get an electric motorcycle today: http://www.zeromotorcycles.com...

Zero Motorcycles has a few electric versions, but they are pretty expensive (~$12k and upwards).

I'd wait and see on the 200 mi range from a 10 kWh battery. The Zero S motorcycle gets 105 mi range (mixed city & hwy) from a 11.4 kWh pack. The C-1 would have better aerodynamics for freeway speed, but it's heavier than the 400 lbs Zero. The Zero's a good product for $15K (or $13K w/ smaller battery). Still a bit pricey and limited in freeway range, but I'd look at it if I needed a city commute bike.

What I don't get is why use all that energy (what ever its source) to carry around all that 'tin'.

*This* is a more sensible solution for those people commuting to work on their own...

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/

When there's just one of you in the vehicle why pay fuel costs and emissions to lug large amounts of steel around. Especially in cities.

Something like this is an awesome commuter vehicle. And when I have spare funds I will be getting one!

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/

First, many people can afford a 100% electric vehicle right now and never pay another dime for gas to commute to work. The Zero XU has a removable battery that I can use to charge at work and at home. The range is sufficient for me to get to work on a single charge. It only costs $0.16 per charge and that's 16 cents that I won't even be paying since I'm going to charge it under my desk at work. The total cost for the bike is less than $8K and it is available for purchase right now.

Second, the ARPA-e independently validated Lithium Ion breakthrough is going to be commercialized in a few years and then Electric cars are going to really be into play for all classes of vehicles including trucks.

Leave it to the USA not to be first in streeting high mileage motorcycles.

Mopeds (things that look like this bike) have been for sale in the US for decades. They have traditionally not sold well. Why build for a market that doesn't want them?

Oh, and for the US not being able to invent cool stuf like this? Go here. Made in Santa Cruz.

If you like the Vectrix, you'll love our Motorcycle, the ZERO X.

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/

Street legal dual-sport version coming soon.