Electric motorcycles are becoming increasingly common, and are starting to look like a wiser and smarter choice as compared to other more traditional petrol or diesel fuelled vehicles.
An electric motorcycle costs only a fraction of that of a traditional petrol-based or diesel-based vehicle, and the cost of electricity is less than a tenth of what you’d normally pay for petrol or diesel.
Not to mention, your carbon footprint shrinks massively when switching from a traditional petrol-based or diesel-based vehicle to an electric motorcycle! It’s good for your wallet and the earth too!
It’s therefore no surprise that more and more savvy consumers are turning to electric motorcycles.
However, what do you need to look for when shopping for your first electric motorcycle?
How will you be using your electric motorcycle?
Decide what you will be using your electric motorcycle for, as this is an important factor in considering the range and charging time of your top preferred models.
Some examples:
- Weekend or weeknight usage
- Daily commuting to the office and home
- Road-trips or travel
What sort of range are you looking at?
Different manufacturers provide different ranges – more is not always better, because a higher range means a more expensive battery pack, which translates to a higher price you’d need to pay.
Additionally, more range means a heavier battery pack and longer charge times.
If you are considering an electric motorcycle for day-to-day usage such as travelling to the office and back, running errands, visiting friends and relatives, and the weekend, then you’d be wise to consider something in the 100+ km range.
Anything above 100km would provide you with more than sufficient mileage for day-to-day and weekend usage, even more so considering that you’d typically charge the motorcycle every night when you sleep.
(Just a note: The Iso Motorcycles UNO-X has a range of 130km, and charges from zero to full in 4 hours, even less if the battery is not fully depleted!)
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Charge time and charging systems
Some electric motorcycles require a more comprehensive setup, and cannot be charged on-the-go, for example, in a public car park or at the office.
Ideally, you’d want to look for an electric motorcycle that has a charging system designed for maximum convenience.
For example, the Iso Motorcycles UNO-X utilises a charging system that can be plugged into any regular power socket that you’d find in a household, office, or even coffee shop!
Charge time is also an important factor – you’d not want an electronic motorcycle that takes upwards of 6 hours to charge, and wouldn’t be done overnight whilst you sleep.
Technology and Safety
As there are different standards globally for technology and safety standards, you’d want to hold the electric motorcycle up to your own standards instead.
For example, how an electric motorcycle manufacturer designs the motorcycle to be safe for riding, with the mass of the vehicle being concentrated in the centre and bottom, providing for a low centre of gravity.
You’d also want an electric motorcycle that is made to be waterproof, dustproof, dirt proof and debris-resistant, as these are factors that if not guarded against, could easily result in you visiting the garage for maintenance and fixing more often than you’d like.
Lastly, you’d ideally want an electric motorcycle that has a smart connection to your mobile phone, and comes with a matching app. Imagine checking your battery levels and remaining charge time from your mobile phone, or being able to update functions and features remotely from your phone. What a dream.
Battery Life
Not all batteries are made the same.
- Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries
There are nickel-metal hydride batteries, which have a long life cycle, but are high in cost, and have a high level of self-discharge. This means that if not used for some time (a week for example), the battery level could have significantly reduced, even if you did not use the electric motorcycle.Nickel-metal hydride batteries also suffer from high heat generation levels at high temperatures, which would be a potential issue for electric motorcycles. - Lead-Acid Batteries
Lead-acid batteries are another form of batteries, designed to be high in power output, inexpensive, safe and reliable.
However, they suffer from a short lifecycle and calendar lifespan, which means frequent battery pack replacements. They also don’t do well in cold-temperatures, so if you’re in a country that often has winter, or even an extended monsoon season, this would not be the best option. - Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lastly, lithium-ion batteries are one of the best types of batteries, typically used in devices such as mobile phones and laptops, due to their high energy storage and output. They also are efficient in energy control, perform well at high temperatures, and a low self-discharge rate, which means the battery will lose charge very slowly when left unused.
All in all, this is the best choice for electric motorcycles, which is why Iso Motorcycles uses this in the UNO-X. After all, the best battery choice is a crucial factor in making the Iso Motorcycles UNO-X one of the best electric motorcycle choices out there.
