Zero Motorcycles unveiled an electric motorcycle targeted at under $8K and a street-legal dirt bike at EICMA

Zero Motorcycles used EICMA in Milan to show an electric street bike aimed at a price below $8,000 and a street-legal version of its XE dirt bike. The California maker, marking its 20th anniversary, also gave the show its first European look at the LS3 scooter and promised DC fast charging for 2027. Electrek’s Micah Toll reported the lineup on Nov. 3.

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The strategy is a visible shift toward smaller, cheaper machines. Toll contrasts the new bikes with the pricier flagships Zero built its reputation on, which have sat around the $20,000 mark.

Project Ventura and its under-$8,000 target

Project Ventura is a lightweight street bike with supermoto styling, 17-inch wheels and an upright riding position. Per Electrek, Zero is targeting a price below $8,000 in the United States, and the final number has not been confirmed. Other outlets give the same target in local currency: Italy’s Soymotero reports it as under 8,000 euros, and Visordown reports under 8,000 pounds.

The spec sheet is modest and clearly aimed at newer riders. A new motor makes more than 20 kW, or about 27 hp, at peak. Sustained top speed is 65 mph, with a momentary maximum of 81 mph, and Zero estimates real-world range at 93 miles. Battery capacity has not been disclosed. A Level 2 charger is built into the bike, so owners do not need a separate external unit. ABS, Bluetooth and a seat designed for a passenger are standard, and Visordown says Zero expects it to suit A1 licence holders in Europe. Jim Callahan, Zero’s Chief Product and Partnerships Officer, described the audience as riders stepping up from e-bikes and e-motos, and said the aim is to make the bike “ridiculously fun to ride.” Availability is set for summer 2027.

The street-legal XE dirt bike

The XE belongs to the X Line of lightweight off-road electrics. Electrek notes that it was already street-legal in Europe, while versions sold in the U.S. were off-road only. The 2027 bike adds full homologation, a headlight and taillight, a centrally mounted dashboard, a small flyscreen and wide dual-sport tires meant for both pavement and dirt.

A revised rear sprocket lifts claimed top speed to 60 mph at the cost of a little torque. U.S. pricing starts at $6,295, and Zero’s XE model page lists that same MSRP, along with a 4.3 kWh removable battery, 20.8 hp and a 223-pound curb weight. The page says the bike is now road-legal for 2027, but a footnote warns that the range, torque, power and top speed figures are preliminary estimates that have not yet been homologated. Electrek gives a spring 2027 availability window; Soymotero lists a European price of 6,715 euros.

Reading the lineup together, a ladder appears: the XE at $6,295, Ventura below $8,000, and flagships near $20,000. Ventura’s quoted 93-mile range also compares with the 65 miles at 31 mph that Zero’s XE page lists for the dirt bike, a reminder that the two machines are built for different jobs. Zero’s stories section already lists the street-legal XE under its X Line, showing how quickly the bike moved from concept to catalog.

For American riders the XE change is the more immediate story, since earlier U.S. versions could not legally be ridden on public roads. Electrek frames the wider push as Zero reaching toward buyers who would otherwise choose a gasoline dual-sport or a premium e-bike, and leaves open whether the dealer network is ready for that crowd by spring 2027.

LS3, the app and DC fast charging

The LS3 scooter debuts in Europe with a 75 mph top speed and up to 93 miles of range. It carries three batteries totaling 5.6 kWh, one of which can be removed from beneath the seat to free storage, and it adds heated grips and a heated seat. Soymotero prices it at 6,925 euros for spring 2027. Zero also showed a redesigned smartphone app for the LS3, the 2027 Street and Dual Sport models and Project Ventura, with preset and custom riding modes, a charger finder with route guidance, scheduled charging and ride history.

Prices vary by market because Zero quoted them in local currencies. Electrek cites the U.S. figures, while Soymotero lists 6,715 euros for the XE and 6,925 euros for the LS3, both arriving in spring 2027. Visordown calls Project Ventura a concept and says Zero has promised only that it will be ready to ride by summer 2027, with final specifications, battery capacity and charging times still unannounced. Treat the under-$8,000 number as the company’s goal until a production price appears.

The charging news may matter most to touring riders. Zero plans DC fast charging in 2027 for compatible Street and Dual Sport motorcycles, designed to go from 20% to 80% in under 30 minutes, using CCS connectors in Europe and NACS in North America. A retrofit for eligible motorcycles already on the road is under development. Zero has not announced pricing or the full list of compatible models, and Toll’s own assessment is that the missing details are the main thing to watch.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

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