12 Best Electric Motorcycles to Buy in 2017 (Prices and Technical Specs Compared)

If you're concerned that only cars are switching to electric-powered motors, then fear no more. The number of all-electric motorcycles manufacturers is growing each year and 2017 has quite a number of available models for you to buy. Enjoy the ride! Joe Hammer J1 Priced at $26,600. A manufacturer from Austria, Joe Hammer E-Mobility has earned the nickname Tesla Motors of Motorcycles since they were the first company to introduce an affordable all-electric two-wheeler with impressive range of 125 miles on a single charge. The name of their creation is Joe Hammer J1. At a glance, a strangely looking vehicle that looks like a bug but when you learn more about it, it wins your attention. The developers did not want to use the frame and design of a conventional motorcycle and chose to build their model from scratch. The DC-excited synchronous air-cooled motor is integrated into the rear wheel. A comparatively large battery of 12.7 kWh sits below the rider and this ensures additional stability, weight distribution and ideal center of gravity. Joe Hammer's top speed is limited to 75 mph and acceleration to 62 mph occurs within 8 seconds. These are rather comfortable cruising characteristics that will bring you only pleasure on the road. One more interesting innovation is that the infosystem is integrated into round rearview mirrors which are actually two high-resolution 2.4-inches displays that provide riding feedback about speed, news and warning. Arrow E-Racer When you look at this Italian e-bike, you will certainly fall in love with its design. Forget about awkward shapes that are usual for electric motorcycles. Arrow E-Racer looks just stunning. This e-bike was created as a street tracker, has 19-inch wheels and rigid chassis. It is powered by a 74 hp electric motor with 90 lb-ft of torque and 110 mph top speed. 7 kW battery capacity guarantees around 50 miles of range which is extended by a software-activated battery saving mode that kicks in once the charge is at 20% to reach the closest charging point. The most prominent features that single out Arrow are carefully handcrafted leather elements of the seat, LED headlights and a specially mounted GoPro camera to record your rides. And as crazy as it sounds, this bike has IP68 water-resistant specifications that allow it to be suitable for open-sea transportation. So, if you've got $30,000 to afford Arrow E-Racer, feel free to take it with you on a yacht when you travel to Rome for the next time. Zero SR Electric bikes from the US-based Zero Motorcycles lack fancy displays and handcrafted leather seats, but they surely do some outstanding EV specifications. Zero SR is the fastest and strongest representative of the all-electric lineup from this manufacturer. This EV is brought into motion with the air-cooled PMAC motor that delivers 70 hp and 116 lb-ft of torque, which is more than any gasoline sport bike with 1,000 cc engine. For the price of $15,995, you can get a motorcycle that runs at top speeds of 100 mph, has a range of 150 miles and can be charged to 95% within one hour. This unmatched range was achieved by using Zero Motorcycles' patented battery technology Z-Force Power Pack that individually controls every cell of the 16.3 kWh battery to ensure maximum health. Moreover, this bike was stripped off everything that could drain the battery, so you won't find any touchscreen info systems, everything is analog and minimalistic. If you were to ask us, Zero SR is the most appealing representative of electric motorcycles today when it comes to price, power, speed, range and design comparison. Italian Volt Lecama Italian Volt was established in 2016 with the mission to take the luxury segment of electric bikes to the next level by offering high-end products with personalized features for each owner. Volt Lecama is a roadster with remarkable performance, stylish design and unique software and hardware solutions to deliver unmatched user experience. Every single Volt is unique and custom-made, so every owner will have a one-of-a-kind limited edition model. With liquid-cooled permanent magnet AC motor, Lecama will have a top speed of 112 mph and acceleration from 0 to 62 mph of 4.6 seconds. This motorcycle will have a 15 kWh battery pack installed to ensure a comfortable one-charge range of 125 miles, plus a fast charge option from 0 to 80% of capacity will take only 40 minutes. Italian Volt plans to have a personal relationship with every one of its buyers, so if you're ready to become a part of the Lecama family, you can start to think about the future configuration of your bike, since Lecamas are already available for pre-order. NXT One An unexplored market always allows new players to succeed. That is why young startups like NXT Motors from Holland were able to seize a share of all-electric motorcycle niche and bring to the world NXT One. This is an affordable sports two-wheeler with some impressive performance capabilities that will be priced at $19,400. A rider can expect some wild G-forces as the acceleration to 62 mph is instantaneous and is marked under 3 seconds. Overall range is 125 miles of emission-free riding in a combined city-highway mode. NXT is a light one-seater bike that offers comfortable driving experience due to the soft KYB suspension and delivers high performance due to a powerful AC motor installed. Dutch designers gave the vehicle elegant and classic look, with refined lines and minimalistic attributes. The One is already finding its fans and is available for pre-order today. Victory Impulse TT After Polaris Industries acquired a manufacturer of electric bikes, Brembo, everybody was wondering what was going to happen next. In the end, Polaris decided to use the brand Victory to push their electric bike technology. Impulse TT is a result of their hard work. In essence, it is an improved road version of Brembo Impulse RR under a different brand. This bike's price starts at $20,000 for the standard configuration that has the following specs – internal permanent magnet AC motor that peaks at 54 hp and 61 lb-ft of torque and the top speed is at 100 mph. With the 10.4 kWh battery, Victory has a comparatively decent real-world range of 110 miles, even though manufacturers claim it to be 140 miles. However, charging times of 3.9 hours from a commercial and 8.9 hours from a domestic socket leave much to be desired. Impulse TT is equipped with the top-of-the-line Brembo brakes and Ohlins transmission. It looks strong and aggressive but at the same time lets you enjoy calm and silent rides through the city streets. Alta Motors Redshift SM Redshift SM is one of the electric motorcycle models manufactured by the US-based Alta Motors. It is a street bike, however, it will feel as comfortable on any off-road track. Among its remarkable characteristics is a combination of lightweight, super-efficient powertrain and battery tandem. The manufacturer claims that its 40 hp permanent magnet AC motor is pound-for-pound the most powerful in motorsports. This powertrain produces 120 lb-ft of torque and ensures the top speed of 80 mph. Moreover, Alta Motors convinces its buyers that its battery, called Alta Pack, is mile-for-mile the most compact energy-dense battery in transportation. The use of honeycomb architecture allows extreme energy density of 185 Wh per kg and with 5.8 kWh capacity, Redshift SM has a range of 50 miles. In addition to the top-of-the-line EV specs, SM uses suspension from WP and braking system from Brembo. Energica Ego It is an all-electric motorcycle from Italy that shows massive performance but no emissions. The Energica Ego was engineered and constructed by the same professionals who create race cars for Formula 1, so hold on tight to your handlebars as Ego is unstoppable. The synchronous oil-cooled motor with permanent magnets provides 145 lb-ft of instantaneous torque and a 60-0 acceleration of 3 seconds. You will definitely need those Brembo brakes and Bosch ABS system installed on Ego as the top speed is impressive 150 mph, which is actually faster than that of many superbikes with combustion engines. High velocities and constant acceleration-deceleration cycles require lots of power. Even though 11.7 kWh battery that powers Energica is not so impressive, the overall riding range is extended due to the use of specially designed vehicle control unit that manages all systems simultaneously and ensures rapid regeneration of batteries during braking and efficient use of power during acceleration. Lido Sora Motorcycles manufactured by the Canadian company Lido Green Motion belong to the market segment. However, make no mistake, you are getting what you paid for when you spend $77,000 on a Lido Sora electric motorcycle. Being the world's first luxury electric bike, it is a symbol of sophistication, style and status. Lido Sora comes in two modifications, base and signature, with the last one having larger battery, higher top speed and acceleration and of course higher price. This bike's powertrain is represented by liquid-cooled three-phase AC induction motor that provides electronically limited speed of 120 mph and 3.9 seconds of 0-60 acceleration. The battery is a 12 kWh lithium polymer that is managed by Lido's special BMS – Battery Management System. Seamless transition from energy-saving riding to the sport mode plus regenerative braking system allow to reach ranges of 120 miles on a single charge. All of the other components are of the highest quality. Chassis is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and software and safety features are unmatched on the market. You know what you're paying for with Lido. Zero FXS Priced at $8,495. It does not matter whether you enjoy riding within inner cities or prefer hitting off-road terrain. Zero FXS will push the limits and carry you anywhere. Its electric air-cooled PMAC motor delivers 46 hp and 78 lb-ft of instant torque. This motorcycle runs at top speed of 85 mph with the average range of 68 miles. Thanks to a 6.5 kWh battery based on a Z-Force PowerPack technology that is used on all of Zero bikes plus efficient regenerative braking system, the weight of the FXS is under 300 pounds and is achieved by the of aircraft-grade aluminum frame. Suspension from Showa and ABS system from Bosch allow FXS to be extremely agile and give a sense of total control during the ride. Brutus 2 This is the next model of the original hand-made motorcycle Brutus manufactured by the family-run Bell Custom Cycles. Priced at $26,490, the successor has a new V-series frame and has even more brutal technical specifications. Designed to carry one rider, Brutus is all-electric and powered by permanent magnet AC that drains power from 10 kWh battery. Though the design is in retro sports style, overall performance specs are rather modern. Brutus 2 will take you on a 100 miles trip with top speeds of 100 mph. You will be able to accelerate to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. But this two-seater is not for young and reckless youngsters whose major concern is burning the tires. Brutus 2 was designed to be ridden in style, so if you like vehicles that have a soul, this motorcycle from the Bell family will become your best companion and it will make you feel like you're the king on the road. Lightning Motorcycle LS218 If you were to check the Bonneville Timing Association records for the world's fastest production motorcycle, do not expect to find a bike with gasoline engine there. An all-electric two-wheeler from Lightning Motorcycle Corp called Lightning LS218 is currently holding the world's top speed record with 215.96 mph. Such performance is achieved due to the IPM liquid-cooled 200hp electric motor that produces 168 lb-ft of torque. The bike could be ridden at highway speeds for up to 100 miles on a charge and supports 30 minute DC fast charging. The rest of the package is as impressive, and the bike is both track and street-ready. The Lightning features a braking system from Brembo, suspension from Airdance, and special forged aluminum wheels. By going pure electric with LS218, you will definitely save up on gasoline. But don't expect the bike itself to be affordable, and get ready to pay for it no more no less than $38,888. Thanks for sticking around till the end. If you liked this video, feel free to check out some of our previous releases or hit that subscribe button to get notifications when new content comes out. Do not forget to like and leave a comment below to let us know what top list you would like to see in the next episode. Just follow the link in the description below.