WITH the news that Zero may be developing an electric sportsbike using the naked SR/F as a basis, we thought we’d take a look at the specs of each and try and figure out who’ll come out on top.
Energica and Zero are the biggest players in the full size, full power electric motorcycle marketplace. And we are quite excited at the prospect of these relative giants going toe-to-toe in the squared circle. The reason? Zero’s SR/F sporstbike would be the first machine from a major manufacturer to join the fully-faired head-down design ethos. And competition drives innovation. And innovation makes things better!
So how would a Zero SR/F fare against Energica’s Ego? Here’s a blow-by-blow account of a theoretical first bout.
Seconds out!
Round one - Electric motor performance
On paper, the Energica looks to have the Zero on the ropes here, with 145bhp and 148ft-lb, the Italian stallion floors the Zero SR/F with its 110bhp and 140ft-lb. But that isn’t the whole story. The Zero SR/F is a naked, and is tuned accordingly. It wouldn’t take much to unlock some extra revs, power, and torque from the Z-Force motor. Energica already do much the same thing with the Ego if customers opt for the MotoE spec Corsa Cliente kit. Bolting the new kit ECU to the Ego raises the output to 160bhp and increases top speed. It’d be foolish to think that Zero cannot do the same.
Round two - Chassis
It looks like it’s Energica may have the upper hand here too, as the suspension and braking setup of the Ego is streets ahead in terms of spec and performance. With Marzocchi 43mm forks, rebound and compression damping and spring preload on the Ego and 43mm Showa Big Piston Separate function forks on the SR/F. it’s a similar story at the rear shock, with the Bitubo unit on the Ego outdoing the Showa item on the SR/F.
To ride, the SR/F is streets ahead of it’s siblings (the SR and DSR), although the high-spec Bitubo/Marzocchi combination on the Ego seemed to control the bike better when the going got twisty.
Both bikes feature lovely looking trellis frames, that wouldn’t look out of place on a top-spec superbike from the like of Ducati or MV. Although the chunky, wrap-around item on the Energica looks to be more race-bred.
The brakes on the Ego also have the SR/F reeling, as it’s fitted with decent spec Brembo four-pot calipers and radial master cylinders. Out punching Zero’s J.Juan set up on this occasion as they have more bite and more feel.
If Zero really want to take the fight to Energica on this front they’ll need to come up with something more than the base setup of the SR/F.
Round three - Weight
We have a late flurry from the Zero now as the SR/F comes in at 220kg (226kg for the premium), compared to the Energica’s 280kg. That would make the Zero a more manageable machine for the everyday ride, although the Ego’s walking speed reverse and forward function is a godsend when manually handling the bike. With the Zero’s extra fairings, it’d be fair to expect the weight when built to be somewhere around this mark.
Round four - Range
With a claimed 80-120 in normal conditions for the Ego and roughly the same from the SR/F, the range question doesn’t really come into the equation on this one!
Round five - Charge time
The Zero should go from flat to full at home in around four, to four and a half hours. With fast chargers in public and hotel carparks reducing that time to around 2.5 hours. In the same scenario, the Ego will take around four hours at home and can go from flat to full in around 20 minutes on one of the many fast charge points that a popping up everywhere.
Round six - Price
This is the place where the Zero could deal the Energica a very damaging blow indeed. The naked SR/F comes in at £16,490, compared to the Energica Ego’s £24,999. Now we know the SR/F Sportsbike won’t come in at the same price as the SR/F but, we can’t expect it to cost over £8k more either.
