Are electric bikes worth buying? Will electric motorcycles take over traditional ones?
Yes, with newer discoveries, electric motorcycles are getting cheaper. Although they’re expensive than gas motorcycles, they’re still the better option in the long run.
Electric Motorcycles aren’t a new concept. They were widely accepted in the early 20th century in the USA. The yearly electric motorcycle production was way higher than gasoline motorcycles. But, slowly, with newer inventions related to gasoline engines, the electric motorcycles died.
Let’s find out in detail how these electric motorcycles are giving tough competition to the traditional gasoline motorcycles.
What Is an Electric Motorcycle?
To simply put it, electric motors swap the engines with electric motors. So, instead of combustions inside the engine, the motorcycles are equipped with electric motors. A rechargeable battery powers the electric motor. Unlike the fuel tank, which can be refueled in a few minutes, the electric motorcycles need to be recharged at specific charging stations.
Just like gas motorcycles, these motorcycles come in different sizes and shapes. Some have high range; others can reach high speeds that seem impossible for an electric motorcycle.
Top 5 Reasons Why Electric Motorcycles Beat Gas Motorcycles
Lower Maintenance Cost:
If you are a user of a gas motorcycle, you would know how frequently they require tinkering and maintenance. If you don’t keep your bike maintained, you’ll get to hear weird noises from your bike. Also, the regular maintenance of a motorcycle takes away the enjoyable part of it, riding it without worrying about anything.
With an electric motorcycle, it’s an entirely different story. Instead of pistons, carburetors, or oil maintenance, these only have an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery powers this motor. So, they require minimum maintenance. You’ll only have to make sure your motorcycle is charged or, in the worst case, if its tires are pumped up.
Convenient:
Most people overlooked electric motorcycles because of their limited short range. Also, the deficiency of charging infrastructure along the roads played a part too. This made electric motorcycles inconvenient. And if by any chance you ran out of charge in your motorcycle, you couldn’t refill it like a gas motorcycle with a gas can.
More electric motorcycles and cars came into the market, and so did the charging stations. With newer research, the total ranges have drastically increased. So, where you got 50 miles in electric motorcycles, you now get up to 150 miles of city and highway range.
Easy To Use:
In an electric motorcycle, there is no clutch, no gears, or anything as such. So, you don’t have to worry about how many clutches to release or which gear you should shift to. Instead, twist the throttle, and you’re good to go.
Better For the Planet:
According to the report of IPCC published by the United Nations in 2018, if we want to stop worldwide temperatures collective by 1.5°C by 2100. Then we should cut our CO2 emanation by 45% by 2030 and take it to zero by 2050.
So, if you are a person who cares about nature and the environment, then these are made for you. Gas motorcycles use gas, and their carbon emission is high. Unlike this, electric motorcycles consume up to eight times less energy. Not only consumption, but their emission is also almost half that of the CO2 emission of gas motorcycles.
Cost Friendly:
Buying an electric motorcycle is more expensive than a normal motorcycle. But in the long run, an electric bike is cheaper. Its running cost is lower than a gas bike. In addition, the electricity cost to charge an electric motorcycle is far lower than refueling a traditional motorcycle.
Is The Future of Motorcycling Going to Be Electric?
For decades, we have been using gas motorcycles for our day-to-day uses. These gas motorcycles have been in our lives for so long that it has become a standard.
But that is changing. As the issue of global warming has risen, scientists all around the world are researching how they can use renewable energy for the environment’s benefit. One solution came up to change our mode of travel. Gasoline is found abundantly on our planet. But it’s dangerous for our planet too.
This came up in the shape of electric vehicles. Although it is a newer technology, that is costlier compared to gasoline. But slowly and gradually, it is improving, and researchers can produce better batteries. These newer batteries allowed them to go for all-electric vehicles such as cars, buses, and motorcycles.
Motorcycles first had low ranges of 30-40 miles before they needed a recharge. But now, manufacturers such as Honda, Harley, and Zero are jumping in. They have increased to up to 200 miles with only one recharge.
Are Electric Motorcycles Better for The Environment?
Just as electric cars are good for the environment, electric motorcycles are good too. Electric motorcycles have many features compared to gasoline motorcycles. Whether you count the air pollution, noise pollution, or fuel source, electric motorcycles are better in any way. We’ll look at each factor and explain why an electric motor is better for the environment.
Electric motorcycles’ fuel isn’t gas or fuel, so they don’t emit carbon dioxide when they are driven. Instead, they use electricity to power up and drive. And if you have wind turbines, you can charge your motorcycle with renewable energy.
Electric motorcycles are cheaper to operate because they use electric motors instead of gas motors. And since there’s no oil for moving parts, there won’t be any oil spillage or even gas spillage.
As electric motorcycles don’t use fuel when they’re driven, they don’t release carbon dioxide. Therefore, operating an electric motorcycle doesn’t increase climate change.
You can charge your electric motorcycle at your home using the same electricity you use for home appliances. So, you don’t need anything extra like going to fuel pumps to refill your batteries.
An electric motorcyclist cannot rev their motorcycle, unlike the gas-powered motorcycles. This is because they’re quieter than gas motorcycles.
Electric Motorcycles Pros and Cons:
Pros of Electric Motorcycles:
Cost-saving: Electricity is way cheaper than gasoline for daily usage. Even though humanity has been researching gas engines, the long-term per mile cost of an electric bike is cheaper than a gas motorcycle. For just 2 bucks worth of electricity, you can go for up to a 100-miles ride. Whereas while using gasoline, you’ll need 8 or 9 bucks to achieve that many miles.
Silent: The electric motorcycles are silent as there aren’t that many moving components. They are quite beneficial for noise pollution as they emit almost zero noise.
Minimum Maintenance: In an electric bike, there is no requirement to maintain it almost every day. There is no oil change required; you don’t need to adjust any valves. Of course, you may need new tires. Now and then, you may need brake pads. But that’s the only regular maintenance it needs.
Government subsidies: Most pro-green states around the US give tax incentives if you go green.
Cons of Electric Motorcycles:
Expensive Upfront Investment: Electric motorcycles cost way more than conventional gas bikes. They can cost anywhere between 5000$ to 15,000$. Zero, one of the pioneers of electric motorcycles, their base model S costs more than 10,000$. This is because electric bikes are newer in the market, and companies need more research to produce cheaper models.
Limited by range: Electric motorcycles are limited by their range. This tells you how many miles you can go before your charge is depleted. This can cause a problem when you’re going to your office, and you see that you forgot to charge your bike.
Charging: This brings us to another big con of electric bikes, charging. To fill the electric motorcycle’s battery, you’ll need anywhere between two to ten hours. Whereas to refuel your gas motorcycle, you hardly ever need more than two minutes.
Top 5 Electric Motorcycles:
We have shortlisted 5 of the top Electric Motorcycles available on the market. This list will give you an idea of the high-quality product available in the Electric motorcycles line.
1. Zero SR/F:
Zero Motorcycles is one of the pioneers of electric motorcycles. They have produced top of the line models over the years
Top Speed: 124 MPH.
Range: 161 miles in the city and 99 miles on the highway.
Charge: 4.5 hours on a standard charger and 1.8 hours on 6 KW Rapid Charge.
MSRP: $19,495 for the Standard Model and $21,495 for the Premium Model.
2. Harley-Davidson Livewire:
Harley’s LiveWire is a premium electric motorcycle that comes with a complete package.
Top Speed: 115 MPH.
Range: 146 miles in the city and 95 miles combined.
Charge: 13 miles per hour of charging and 60 minutes on DC Fast Charge.
MSRP: $29,799.
3. Lightning LS-218:
The Lightning is a motorcycle that is meant for racers. It’s a powerful sports bike that can shut anyone up that doubts the performance of an electric bike. Its specifications are,
Top Speed: 218MPH.
Range: 12 kWh battery: 100 – 120 miles/charge 15 kWh battery: 120 – 150 miles/charge 20 kWh battery : 160 – 180 miles/charge.
Charge: 2 hours on level 2 charger and 30 minutes on DC fast charger.
MSRP: $38,888.
4. Energica Eva Ribelle:
The Energica Eva Ribelle is fitted with the lightest and most powerful battery pack. It gives a whopping 261 miles of city range that no competition can provide.
Top Speed: 125 MPH.
Range: 261 miles in City and 153 miles combined.
Charge: 42 miles per charging hour on a 3-kW charger.
MSRP: $22,160.
5. Damon Hypersport Hs:
Damon Hypersport motorcycles have packed up everything in one single motorcycle. And has presented a perfect model for everyone.
Top Speed: 200 MPH.
Range: 200 miles combined.
Charge: 15 hours to 90% on level 1 charger.
2.5 hours to 90% on level 2 charger.
45 minutes to 85% on CCS.
MSRP: $24,995.
What Is the Cheapest Electric Motorcycle?
Zero FX is the cheapest motorcycle available on the market. It has a price tag of $8,495. With this cheap price tag, Zero had to make some compromises on the motorcycle. It has a top speed of 85 MPH. In addition, it’s has a city range of 35 miles, while the highway range is 22 miles.
Even though it’s the cheapest electric motorcycle, it still weighs about 298 pounds.
Are Electric Motorcycles Street Legal?
Electricity-powered vehicles have gained popularity in the last few years. This is because the gasoline prices are sky-high, while electricity is much cheaper. And they are environment friendly too. This is why full-size electric motorcycles are street legal. They have the same laws as those of gasoline-powered motorcycles.
What’s The Fastest Electric Motorcycle?
When people got familiar with the concept of electric motorcycles. There was a sudden need amongst the environment-friendly sportsmen to get an electric motorcycle. Thus, the Lightning LS-218 was created. It has a maximum speed of up to 218 MPH. LS-218 was created to show how powerful electric motorcycles can be.
Why Are Electric Motorcycles So Expensive?
There are many reasons why electric motorcycles are expensive. One main reason is the bike battery. The battery should hold enough charge to provide a useful range of at least 100 miles in one charge. But it should be rechargeable. This battery should also have at least 3 to 4 years of life.
To add more woes to this, the super dependable battery is combined with a dependable e-bike motor. Now, the engine has to go fast enough to speed 60 MPH constant for city drive.
The battery and the motor, combined with all the special equipment, meters, detectors, etc., should be 100% waterproof. Or you’ll have to get a new bike when it rains.
What License Do You Need for An Electric Motorcycle?
For all types of electric motorcycles, you need a motorcycle license. The Motorcycle license permits you to operate a two-wheeled motorcycle. It cannot be used for any car or other type of vehicle.
Now, in the motorcycle licenses, there are two classes. Class M1 and Class M2.
With the Class M1 license, you can operate any motorcycle equipped with a horsepower that is more than 150cc, whether it’s an electric motorcycle or a regular motorcycle.
The Class M2 license is for a moped or motorized bicycle. This allows you to operate any bicycle that does not exceed 30 MPH.
FAQs:
How Long Do Electric Motorcycles Last?
Electric motorcycles are generally designed to last anywhere from three to five years. Unfortunately, after this period, the battery’s life performance begins to decline. And if the e-bike motor isn’t properly maintained, it will lose its efficiency over time.
Are Electric Motorcycles Silent?
Noise is the fundamental component of a motorcyclist who is riding a bike. The sound of the exhaust and the engine roaring will surely get a biker excited. But over the years, this has changed. With the introduction of electric motorcycles on the market, the requirements have changed. Motorcyclists have started to accept the quiet rides, where only the motor and few belts are humming.
These new electric motorcycles are not entirely silent because of the motor. But compared to gasoline motorcycles, they are.
Will Tesla Make an Electric Motorcycle?
The answer is No. Tesla designed a concept for Model M. But Tesla won’t produce any motorcycles. Because of a near-death experience as a teenager, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has vowed to stay away from motorcycles.
Does Yamaha Have an Electric Motorcycle?
Although they have dirt bikes, Yamaha has no plans to release an electric motorcycle as of the writing of this blog. However, they are testing new electric motors that reach up to 350 kW. And experts are expecting that they may be used in future electric motorcycles.
Do Electric Motorcycles Have a Clutch?
No, electric motorcycles provide comfort where you don’t need to press the clutch at every break. This is because electric motorcycles only use the speed throttle and torque system.
How Much Is Insurance on An Electric Motorcycle?
Most insurance companies still aren’t accepting the concept of insurance on an electric motorcycle. That is because some consider electric motorcycles a high risk. After all, they’re silent. So, the pedestrian won’t be able to hear them coming, like a gasoline motorcycle.
But some companies are still providing insurance policies for electric motorcycles that start at $100 per year. They have different coverage levels that fit your riding styles.
Are Zero Motorcycles Any Good?
Zero Motorcycles are making good quality electric motorcycles. A former NASA engineer founded the company. Like NASA, Zero Motorcycles makes sure there are no compromises in the components’ quality. Zero Motorcycles releases up to 10 models every year, and in the year 2021, they released 9 models made for everyone.
Conclusion
Electric motorcycles have traveled a great distance. From a high speed of 30 MPH and maximum range of 30-40 miles. We have motorcycles that can travel at well above 200 MPH or have a range of more than 150 miles.
Two of the significant achievements by electric motorcycle companies are lightning LS-218 or the Energica Eva Ribelle. The lightning LS-218 can reach the speed of 218 MPH in mere seconds. At the same time, the Energica Eva Ribelle has a huge range of 261 miles in a city.
