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[DonTom]

When the battery was crapping out on my Zero DS 6.5, the difference in range was most noticeable at the higher speeds. At very slow speeds, such as on a 40 mile unpaved road, I didn't really notice any difference in range, but I think it was reduced a bit there also, but not nearly as obvious as at higher speeds.

What was also very obvious is my charge times was much LESS. Just as if my 6.5 KWH battery was a good 3 KW battery. It took less than half the time of normal to get to 100% charged. Also, regen would appear to charge the battery much better, when looking at the SOC, which probably helps explain the good range at very slow speeds. Regen would add as much range as ever, as the SOC increases were double and very noticeable as I was going  down hill at slow speeds.

Another symptom was if I got back at 5% SOC and had to slow down a lot for the last mile (1.5 km) or so, the SOC would start to increase to perhaps 15% soc or even more if I just let the bike sit.

Now it has a new 7.2 KHW battery (replaced under warranty) and what a difference!  The difference is most noticeable on the freeway, where my range is now several times what it was with my old battery.

The battery crapping out during the warranty is good, especially if you're getting a free upgrade as I did.  My DS ZF 6.5 is now really  a ZF 7.2!

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Kappi]

Thanks for your replies folks.

I contacted my dealer and he sent the logs to Zero.
The increase in charge level is something I noticed, too.  Parking the bike or returning to slow moving traffic after a ride on the Autobahn, the SOC will either stay constant for several km, far exceeding the "expected range per percentage point" or start to increase again by several percent. Also, after a trip of using about 45% SOC and then letting the bike rest for a day without charging, the range indication will just drop when ridden again. I had a trip the other week of 25 km country roads, max. speed about 80 kph with half of it being towns with 50kph, that took me down from 58% SOC to  10% SOC after the bike had been parked overnight without a recharge.

Lets see what happens. I'll update the thread once I get news from the dealer.

Kappi

[MBldc]

SOC on my DS14 (where I kept an old Firmware Version as long as I owned it) behaved more like a coulomb counter, even under heavy load it did not drop unproportional. But at the same time, Power was sometimes limited even at more then 50% SOC, depending on battery temperature.
With my SRF, it is different. When driving WOT (especially Autobahn > 130Km/h), SOC drops more rapidly, than Energy Consumption would explain for. Then letting the bike sit for a while or just Power Cycle, SOC suddenly rises sometimes 10% and then decreases as expected when driving again. My guess is, that newer Firmware Versions somehow calculate the usable SOC taking the actual power demand into account (similar to Range Estimation). Beside that, Power seems to be limited only at lower SOC with newer Bikes, so it behaves more predictable especially when overtaking on country roads, which sometimes scared me on the DS. You never really knew if it would allow you for that..

[Kappi]

Update: Positive Heads up to Zero and my dealer. Sounds like I'm getting a new battery 👍. Don't know yet what exactly went wrong with the old one but will post update as time comes.

[Kappi]

Problem solved. New battery installed.
The range difference is great

[DonTom]

Problem solved. New battery installed.
The range difference is great

Great!  But did  they install a new 14.4 KWH battery or just another 13 KWH?

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Kappi]

Hi Don,

they installed a 14.4 kWh monolith.

[DonTom]

Hi Don,

they installed a 14.4 kWh monolith.

It's nice to have the battery crap out during warranty, especially when they only have the larger battery available.

Now if only both my batteries  can hurry up &  crap out in my 2017 Zero SR!

-Don-  Reno, NV

[idle]

Problem solved. New battery installed.
The range difference is great

Very glad to hear this!

Attached are my own worries, I remember the days when my '16 DSR had 120-140 on its range at full charge, and granted I did less highway miles back then, but I've also experienced quicker charging on the stock charger, and it just *feels* like lowered capacity.

[Kappi]

Hey Idl,

65 miles expected range doesn't sound to bad. Was your last trip before charging on the interstate?
Just as an example:
My old 125 cc had a 12 kw engine, with 12 kw being the theoretical kinetic energy the engine would deliver. That bike was physically a little bit smaller than the Zero.
With this amount of kinetic energy, the bike could travel at around 65 mph (top speed).
Let's assume that the SR is comparable in cross section and wind resistance.
If you consider that the usable energy output in the 13kwH monolith is somewhere around ?11.6? kwH, which then has to be transformed into kinetic energy encountering losses like friction and heat, an SR travelling at around 60 mph would consume that amount of energy in 60 minutes or less, thus depleting the battery pack.

My point: If your prior trip was anywhere near interstate speed, 65.5 miles or range sounds realistic.

[TheRan]

You can't really compare them like that, there are plenty of 11kW 125s that can hit 70-80mph (think I got 76 out of my Duke) and they have much greater energy losses through the drive train. According to Zero the 14.4 will get 90 miles at 70mph which comes out to 81 miles for the 13kW/h.

[Kappi]

That's a valid point. I was simply making a rough comparison.
Do you know under what conditions the range estimates are measured?
I think I read somewhere that they are beased on a dyno rund with esitmated drag accounting for a tucked rider.
Does anyone now more?

[TheRan]

They're done on a dyno but the drag estimate is sitting upright, that's why the SR/S has the same specified range as the SR/F.