Electric motorbike company Zero Motorcycles has unveiled what could be a glimpse into the future design of its products with a new concept bike based on its award-winning SR/S sports tourer.

Dubbed the SR-X, the prototype has been designed by San Francisco based industrial design company HUGE Design. The last time the companies worked together was in 2019, when HUGE Design restyled Zero’s FXS Supermoto and created the blueprint for what would become the latest FXE production model.

Zero says the project is part of its ‘Design the Future’ programme, with Bill Webb of HUGE Design adding that the SR-X represents the ‘near future’ of battery powered motorcycling. He explained: “(The) SR-X concept bike strives to hit a design sweet spot for the near future of electric motorcycles, combining clean, lines and disciplined design-detailing with the aggressive stance and raw performance feel found in modern litre bikes.”

The futuristic look of the SR-X is not dissimilar to the FXE, with an aluminium silver paint scheme complemented with red and black detailing. The unusual bodywork features a slab sided fairing and wind deflectors to cover up the battery and the majority of the steel trellis frame, while the screenless upper half of the bike, complete with the minimalist seat unit, is more in line with aggressive streetfighter designs.

Webb continues: “The SR-X’s clean lines and disciplined ‘product design’ styling approach has been combined with the aggressive proportions and raw functionality/exposed mechanicals found in more traditional race bikes. This bike is an attempt to define a new sub-category for high performance electric, something between a streetfighter and a track bike. Partial fairings and aero performance with the raw attitude of the street.

“We wanted true sport riders to appreciate the subtle and balanced design approach: modern, futuristic and clean without sacrificing the raw-performance look and overtly mechanical appeal of high-performance motorcycles. 

“The team wanted to create a dramatic and low ‘front-heavy’ silhouette with the bodywork that could juxtapose the fully exposed mechanicals towards the back of the bike in an unconventional way.  The SR/S chassis/mechanicals that zero designed are impressive to look at and we wanted the raw bike underneath to be part of the final composition.”

Underneath the futuristic looks is what appears to be standard Zero SR/S mechanicals. The £24k machine, which won MCN’s Electric Bike of the Year, features a 17.9kWh battery for a real-world range of over 100 miles, with 187 miles between charges claimed for city riding.

Brian Wismann, VP of Product Development at Zero, added: “When Bill first released his Mono-Racr design in digital form several years ago, I knew immediately that the design language based on clean, simple forms would be a perfect marriage for an electric motorcycle. I’m excited that we were able to realize Bill’s vision of our electric sportbike platform in the SR-X concept.”