First Ride: The Zero LS1 is ideal for urban adventures

Electrification is a hot topic throughout the transport industry and motorcycles aren’t avoiding it, either. Right at the forefront of electric two-wheeled transport is Zero, a Californian outfit which has been focusing on electric motorcycles since 2008. Today, it’s one of the key manufacturers of battery-powered bikes.

That brings us to the LS1, Zero’s entry into the ever-popular scooter market. Like the rest of this brand’s range, it’s fully electric but incorporates a variety of touches designed to make it as user-friendly as possible.

The LS1 has been designed specifically for city use. That’s why it gets an uber-tight turning circle, while small wheels help with agility to get you through traffic more quickly. The seat can also be unlocked and raised, revealing a large storage area big enough for a bag of shopping or your helmet when it’s not in use.

At 134kg, it’s pretty light, too, particularly given that the LS1 delivers performance in the region of what you’d get from your typical petrol 125cc scooter.

It’s underneath where the LS1 differs from your normal scooter. As mentioned, it’s an electric setup, but you’ve got two compact 1.86kWh batteries supplying drive to the rear wheel via a clever carbon belt drive, which needs a fraction of the maintenance of a usual chain. These batteries are mounted low on the scooter and can either be charged up by plugging the bike into the mains, or they can be removed entirely and topped up separately. It’s a big plus-point for riders who may not have charging space outside their homes. A full charge can be completed in just under five hours, too, via a mains plug.

Zero says that in city riding conditions, you’re looking at a range of 70 miles, or up to 97 miles if you add an optional third battery. Head on to a dual carriageway and that range will, of course, dwindle quickly, but this really is a scooter designed for the city.

The LS1 gives you that classic scooter ride which is so appealing when you’re around town. The steering is light and nimble, while the relatively narrow bars mean it’s easy to thread the LS1 through gaps in the traffic. Mirror positioning is good, too, and the completely flat floor means that you’ve got a pleasantly stable point to put your feet on. Because of that electric powertrain, throttle response is great and you’ve got more than enough power to make a quick getaway from the lights or out of a junction.

However, the small wheels do drop into potholes which, given the state of the UK’s roads, is quite an issue at the moment. That said, it’s more of an issue with the roads, rather than the LS1’s design and one which will affect most scooters.

Zero says it has given the LS1 a ‘minimalist yet refined’ design and that’s pretty noticeable all of the way around this scooter. The slim lights up front give it a futuristic feel, but they’re placed at a good height to aid visibility. It’s a full LED setup, too.

Security is a big issue for inner-city riders, too. Zero has equipped the LS1 with a standard mechanical steering lock, but in addition to this, there’s a clever immobiliser system which detects when the scooter’s key fob is out of range. When activated, the system will lock the rear wheel if it senses an attempt to move it without the key fob being present.

The LS1 is priced at £4,500, which seems about right for the segment. Honda’s petrol Forza 125 comes in at £5,399, while the Suzuki Address 125 vastly undercuts the Zero with its £2,099 price tag. It means that the LS1 is somewhere in the middle. That said, given that the LS1 uses a cutting-edge electric setup, its price is impressively close to those of longstanding petrol alternatives.

However, given its electric powertrain, it could be incredibly inexpensive to run, particularly if you’re on a specific overnight tariff to make charging cheaper. Add in the carbon belt drive for lower maintenance costs and you have a scooter which could be quite cost-effective to get around on. You still get plenty of tech for the money, mind you, including a five-inch TFT dash which displays core riding information alongside remaining range and the selected rider mode.

Verdict

The Zero LS1 feels perfectly suited to life in the city. With its flexible charging options, it’s a scooter which can appeal to all types of riders and could prove to be incredibly cheap to run if you access low rates of home electricity.

With its nippy handling and accessible performance, the LS1 is the kind of scooter that riders will quickly enjoy while appreciating the cost savings that this electric model brings.