Earlier today, Zero Motorcycles unveiled their upcoming 2022 SR models. They also announced a few more battery announcements and tech updates.
For those unfamiliar with the company, Zero Motorcycles has been one of the biggest names in the electric motorcycle industry for over ten years. They started delivering electric motorcycles before many of their competitors had even drawn up scale models.
Read more: Electric motorcycles: A buyer’s guide
Now they’re back with an update to their SR series—and they’re bringing along some brand new battery tech as well.
No SR discounts in the Cypher Store
Next year, Zero will be offering their 2022 SR, SR/F, and SR/S street racing motorcycles with new batteries. A 14.4+ kWh battery will be found aboard SR ‘Standard’ models, while a 15.6+ kWh battery will be available on the respective ‘Premium’ trim models.
The plus signs next to each of the batteries’ capacities indicate these electric motorcycles can actually access additional energy. They are not locked at 14.4 or 15.6 kWh, as they can be upgraded to 17.3 via in-app upgrades.
Beyond that, there will be an optional tank accessory coming in 2022. With it, the total accessible energy of a maxed-out 2022 SR will be just about 21kWh, which would equate to nearly 227 miles of range in the city and 113 miles on the highway at 70 miles an hour.
Read more: The best electric motorcycles you can buy – October 2021
Much like the way Tesla limits the battery capacity on their vehicles with software, Zero is software-locking their batteries. They’re doing this through their new Cypher III+ operating system. In it, riders can access a virtual marketplace called the Cypher Store.
In the Cypher Store, riders will be able to purchase upgrades for their 2022 SR-series electric motorcycle. These include the aforementioned battery capacity upgrades, “parking mode” capabilities, on-dash navigation, heated grips, and even faster charging time.
The fact that all of these upgrades can lie in waiting below the surface—it’s incredible. It allows buyers to pick up the most basic SR model at launch if they don’t feel like immediately upgrading. If they need to buy additional charging speed, battery capacity, performance, or even comfort options, they can do so at their convenience.