A production Zero DS electric motorcycle has established a new Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an electric motorbike on a single charge, covering 271.2 miles on public roads from the French Alps to the Mediterranean coast.

Belgian rider Jelle Verstaen beat the previous mark of 193.053 miles by 78 miles, an improvement of more than 40%. That record belonged to Finland’s Verge Motorcycles and British riders Sam Clarke and Sara Sloman. The pair took turns on a Verge TS Pro for just over 16 hours in Greater London traffic on March 22, 2025.

“Range anxiety remains a hurdle for prospective riders,” said Zero Senior Director of Global Marketing Jarno Middelbosch. “By proving a real-world range of over 400 kilometers on a single charge, we’re showing what’s possible to welcome the next generation of riders to Zero Motorcycles.”

One Option, Nothing Else

Zero says the DS was stock with one exception. It was outfitted with the optional Power Tank, a factory accessory installed by a dealer. The Power Tank adds 3.6 kWh to the standard 15.6 kWh battery, raising total capacity to 19.2 kWh. That is an increase of about 23%. Its job is simple: more stored energy means more miles.

Everything else stayed as-delivered. The DS ran its standard Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires at standard pressure. There were no auxiliary batteries or record-specific modifications. Zero says even a switch to lower-rolling-resistance tires was off the table.

For perspective, Zero rates the DS at 155 miles of city range without the Power Tank, using the SAE J2982 standard. Zero says Verstaen’s 271.2 miles went far beyond any range figure it publishes for the bike.

Why the DS

Zero picked the DS for efficiency and comfort. Its cast wheels are more aerodynamic than the wire-spoke wheels on the higher-powered DSR/X, and its smaller motor keeps weight down. While Zero’s fully faired SR/S is lighter and more aerodynamic, the DS’s upright riding position won out for a ride expected to last more than eight hours.

The record bike is the European-market DS, rated at 11 kW to meet A1 license rules. Its passively air-cooled Z-Force 75-7 motor makes a peak 45 kW (60 horsepower) and 97 lb-ft of torque. Zero credits the battery’s energy density, the drivetrain’s low losses, and regenerative braking for much of the distance.

The Route

The group left Les Claux, a ski village in Vars in the French Alps (elevation roughly 5900 feet), at about 7 p.m. and headed south toward the Mediterranean, making the trip a net descent to sea level. The old record was set in Greater London, which has no comparable descent.

Zero says the route was “chosen as much for efficiency as for the journey itself.” It crossed mountain passes and ran through towns and villages on minor roads and French secondary roads, with no motorway riding.

Planners laid out the route to flow as continuously as possible, to limit energy-consuming stop-and-go riding at traffic lights and intersections. Riding at night meant less traffic and fewer reasons to brake and accelerate.

 

The riders stopped in Arles to see its Roman amphitheater. Dry weather held until the group reached the Camargue, the Rhone River delta south of Arles, where a major storm moved in. The final 62 miles came in heavy rain, and the last 25 minutes or so brought gale-force crosswinds.

Riding for Range

The technique for the assault on the record was simple: smooth, steady riding. On the Alpine descents, Verstaen used regenerative braking to send energy back into the battery. On the open roads toward the coast, he held a steady pace, as energy use climbs sharply as speed rises. Where roads and speed limits allowed, the group cruised at about 32 mph.

Verification

The DS was fully charged before departure, and its charge port was sealed with tape. Verstaen carried two professionally verified GPS trackers to log the distance. A Guinness World Records adjudicator spent more than an hour reviewing the evidence.

Three Bikes Past the Old Mark

Verstaen had company. Zero Senior Global Brand Manager Jenny Brookes rode a stock DSR/X 238.6 miles until its battery ran out. That was about 9 miles past the point where the dash showed 0%. Zero customer Louis Renaud, who joined as a witness, rode his own stock SR/S about 217 miles and finished with 4% charge remaining. Both distances top the previous record.

“A record only means something if riders can relate to it,” explained Zero CEO Pierre-Martin Bos. “These were three production motorcycles, exactly as they leave our dealers, ridden on public roads, one of them by a Zero Motorcycles customer. All three surpassed the previous record. That is no one-off; it demonstrates what our technology can deliver today, and we intend to keep raising the bar.”

The 15.6 kWh, 11 kW DS is a European-market model. Zero’s US website currently lists the DSR/X as its only dual-sport model. The Zero DSR/X has a $21,995 MSRP and a 17.3 kWh battery. The optional Power Tank is a $3,200 dealer-installed accessory that raises the energy capacity to nearly 21 kWh.