Electric Motorcycle Companies, Vaporware Vs. Real

With EV bike companies popping up seemingly overnight, it's hard to tell which are just empty promises, and which will actually deliver.

By Dmitry Pavlovsky

The electric motor is not a new thing. In fact, EVs are actually older than the internal combustion engine (ICE). ICE vehicles were just cheaper and easier to manufacture, so that technology had won out over time. The electric car had always been around, however, albeit as a fringe novelty. It wasn't truly considered as a viable option until quite recently, and only due to the rising concerns over the environment.

When it comes to electric motorcycles, however, the EV story is even more esoteric. Considering that the impact of an average motorcycle on the environment, when compared to something like an ICE car, is minimal, it's hard to say why brands are even bothering with EV bikes. The answer could be that the general tide of transportation is moving in that direction, and so motorcycle companies don't want to be left behind.

Many established bike manufacturers, as well as start-ups, are starting to take advantage of this massive trend. And while motorcycle companies like Harley-Davidson, BMW and Kawasaki have been able to mass produce actual models and deliver them to clients, their start-up counterparts have been struggling for the most part. There has been a variety of published content on these start-up bikes, but beyond superficial glowing reviews of spec sheets, there hasn't been a ton of real world, owner reviews available. And that's the real story here, because these models don't really exist outside some prototypes. And it's extremely frustrating to see media companies continually build interest in EV brands that have been around for almost a decade, without a single motorcycle being delivered to an owner.

So here's a list, because we all love lists, of top electric motorcycle companies that are real, and have actual, available models on the floors of their dealerships. And a companion list of vaporware EV brands that keep promising bike deliveries that never seem to come.

Oh, and if you're curious why Sondors didn't make either list, it's because the less said about this company the better.

Note: The information for this article was pulled from manufacturer, government and automotive news sites, and other authoritative sources.

Energica

Real

Energica is very much a real company, with real motorcycles and real customers. An Italian company that has existed since 2010, they now produce 4 models: Experia, Eva Ribelle, Ego+ and my personal favorite, the EsseEsse9+. They're also highly active in the EV racing scene and seem to be a brand on the rise. If you're looking for an electric bike with some Italian flare, a Ducati without all that V4 noise, Energica may be the answer you're looking for.

Verge

Vaporware

There will be a reoccurring theme, when it comes to companies that are labeled as vaporware, at least in the context of this article. And that's a definitive lack of actual ownership. While physical models may exist, in prototype or fully working order, no owner has actually taken delivery of one.

This is the case with Verge, which has four motorcycles listed on their website, have promised that deliveries would start, well, in late 2023, and have recently ramped up their marketing on social media sites. But to this day I cannot find evidence that anyone has one in their garage. There are some test rides (Wired? Really? What a great motorcycle magazine!), which is not unusual, and a brick and mortar store, but when it comes to an everyday squid having one? Nada.

Zero

Real

Zero on the other hand, much like Energica, were able to get rolling relatively quickly, and are now enjoying some form of success. Their lineup includes 8 different bikes, spread out across 3 different riding styles: sport, dual-sport and adventure. There are numerous online owner reviews, think-pieces and vlogs dedicated to Zero and their motorcycles. We won't go into some of the more controversial aspects of Zero's sales practices, but at least they have a physical model you can purchase and ride.

Arc Vehicle

Vaporware

This is another one of those cases where the prototype looks great, if a bit unusable as a daily ride. Certainly, the Arc Vector bike is well-designed. It's not too far away from what modern sport bikes look like already, with a bit of a futuristic flair. But the company's past is fraught with financial troubles, and it's anyone's guess if these bike will ever actually make it to anyone's garage. I, again, couldn't find any evidence of anyone actually owning one, though certain Marvel superheroes wish that they could.

BMW

Real

BMW doesn't make traditional electric motorcycles, if there even is such a thing. But they do have an electric scooter, the CE04, that seems to be popular enough to have spawned a cooler, younger sibling, the CE02. That one is targeted at the urban environment, where young professionals are looking for a new and sustainable method of transportation. It's not super expensive, somewhere around $10k, and coming from BMW, you can be sure that you'll be able to actual buy and ride one, when it comes out this year.

Fuell

Vaporware

No disrespect to Erik Buell, he of Harley-Davidson, Buell Racing and much more, but until models are available for sale and delivery, there's no reason to talk about yet another bike that only exists as a prototype or computer rendering. And yes, I get the irony of what I just said. They are kind of cool looking, however. And literature that is available for the bike, promises some top-notch features. But so does everyone else's marketing. I understand trying to drum up interest and investment opportunities, but we expect a little better than the (so-far) empty promises from someone who was such a pioneer of American motorcycle racing. Get us the bikes, then we'll talk.

Kawasaki

Real

With typical Japanese attention to detail, and reserved confidence, Kawasaki promised us electric and hybrid bikes, and a few years later, pop goes the proverbial weasel. A continuation of their popular Z and Ninja programs, the Z e-1 and Ninja e-1 are conservative on specs. But perhaps learning from what came before them, Kawasaki decided to under promise and overdeliver. That's better than promising insane features, technology and specs and then not having a bike available for delivery for close to a decade.

Damon

Vaporware

Speaking of which. Damon won awards, made record pre-order numbers and earned wide acclaim for their innovative, well-designed bikes. All of this in only 7 years of existing. The safety tech that is promised to be included in the bikes truly is revolutionary. But how long are we supposed to sing praises of a company that, in those 7 years, hasn't delivered a single motorcycle to the riding public? Revzilla wisely decided to stop focusing on vaporware companies, like Damon, until there's actually something to talk about, other than spec sheets, prototypes and investment news. And maybe we, as journalist, writers, editors and other content creators, should follow their lead.

LiveWire (Harley-Davidson)

Real

The biggest surprise in the EV motorcycle industry remains the fact that Harley-Davidson created an electric bike, bucking a century of heavy cruiser baggage in the process. And not only did they create the LiveWire, they made sure that the bike, by all accounts, is a damn good one at that. But boy did they price themselves out of the competition. It's like, two steps forward, one step back. Time will tell if the second offering from the now separate entity that is LiveWire, the S2 Del Mar, will make any headway with traditionally conservative riders. At least the S2 Del Mar is cheaper than the original LiveWire, which pushed $30k when it first came out.

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