The development of electric motorcycles has taken another big step with Zero Motorcycles announcing the all-new 2013 Zero MMX military motorcycle.
The MMX was developed exclusively for military use in the U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) and provides Special Operations riders with unique tactical advantages over traditional combustion motorcycles, as the electric powertrain allows for rapid movement over hostile terrain in near silence and minimal heat signature. Other key features include quick swap power packs, keyless ignition and the ability to operate in one metre of water.
The 2013 Zero MMX features a 54hp motor that accelerates hard with incredibly smooth throttle control to allow riders to tackle bigger obstacles and corner faster. When rolling off the throttle, riders can take advantage of regenerative braking to both modulate speed and extend ride times.
The performance characteristics of the Zero MMX are also adjustable via Bluetooth and a compatible smart phone mobile device when using the Zero Motorcycles mobile app.
“It was a very rewarding experience for the Zero team to go through such an exacting development process. The military needed a very specific set of core features on the MMX, and we were incredibly thankful to work side-by-side with them to deliver such a unique product,” said Abe Askenazi, Chief Technology Officer for Zero Motorcycles.
“The great news for our civilian customers is that we made the decision to incorporate into our 2013 MX, FX and XU retail motorcycles virtually all of the powertrain enhancements associated with satisfying this project’s stringent military requirements. Our 2013 product is truly ‘military grade’!”
We think the development of the MMX is pretty exciting stuff…to find out more visit www.zeromotorcycles.com.
Interesting development, don’t you think? Only the Yanks would create a “military” vehicle called the Zero, named after the infamous Jap fighter plane of W W II, which was developed by a team led by Askenazi (Ask a Nazi?)! Crikey!