The Swiss-made Zerotracer motorbike strutted its super efficient stuff at Masdar City and the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi last week. Designed by Tobias Wülser as part of his thesis project at the Academy of Art and Design in Aarau, the globe-trotting electric vehicle that “wears its own helmet” traveled around the globe in just 80 days with a fuel bill that topped out at a measly $400! We caught up with Wülser at the Swiss Pavilion for a firsthand look at his svelte design and to find out what he has planned for the bike now that his international tour is complete.
Specifically designed to travel long distances, the Zerotracer is exceptionally aerodynamic and lightweight, according to Wülser, who said in an interview that traveling in the covered two-seater motorbike is like flying one meter above the ground.
Yet it boasts the safety of a car, making it among the most exciting driving experiences available. And the cheapest.
In 2010, Wülser drove the bike around the world, including such remote environs as the Gobi desert, using electricity from campgrounds, McDonalds and other public spaces. Each charge cost about $1.50 and the whole trip cost just $400.
Wülser says that proprietors were more than happy to help him out with a charge, though it is hard to begrudge the vehicle’s efficiency.
The electric engine provided by Brusa is Swiss made and can function with just 0.7 liters of fuel for every 100 kilometers. Meanwhile, the lithium polymer batteries, which charge in just two hours using a three pin plug and six hours with a regular household outlet, hold their charge for up to 250 km and can be fully charged 2,000 times without any undue harm to the battery’s shelf life.
In other words, this super bike can travel 20,000 km per day for 25 years, making it the most efficient and enduring luxury vehicle on the market, according to Wülser.
Still relatively expensive to build given that there are only two prototypes in existence, the Zerotracer’s extraordinary success could eventually lead to mass production; this in turn would reduce costs and increase its viability as a household brand.
For now, Wülser told Green Prophet that he and his team at Designwerk aren’t pushing hard to do more with the Zerotracer, though they are working on developing what might be the world’s first electric truck.
All images by Tafline Laylin; please contact us if you would like to use them.
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
You mean it could travel 20,000km per day for 25 days without any harm to the battery’s shelf life, not 25 years. Seems cool, just a little off on the math.