2015-Terry-Hershner-Streamliner-history

Chap: 86: History of Terry Hershner's Zero S ZF9 and Vetter Streamlining 2012-2015

I post this page to show you what we have learned, step by step. I also want to show you the relationship between change and effect. As a designer, I have learned:

"You want this? You gotta give up that"

Craig Vetter, designer.

Carmel, CA, USA

One 9kWh battery

Range at 70mph: 44miles, crouching

Charger: One 1kW

Time to charge: 9hrs @ 110v

Weight without rider: 350lbs

Stage 1) As Zero made it in 2012

2012 Ride to California

Modifications:

stock 9kW

Range at 70mph: 45miles (crouching)

(5) Chargers: (3) stock Delta Q and (2) Elcons @20lbs each ...................... add 100lbs

Time to charge: 1h 15 min using (1) J1772 plug

Weight: without rider .............400lbs

Stage 2) As ridden to CA Dec 2012

Bodywork: Ninja 250 fairing

Performance

Notes: First J1772 plug on a motorcycle? Terry rode this from Florida to West Texas, could not find enough charging stations closer than 45 miles apart to continue on

Modifications:

4) batteries (stock 9kW and (3) 3kW more) 18kW total…...............……………… add 150lbs

Range at 70mph: 85miles (crouching)

(4) 1 kW Chargers: (stock and 3 more) @20lbs each……...............................…add 60lbs

Time to charge: ...2hrs using (2) J1772 plugs

Weight: without rider 550lbs

2013 Quail Vetter Challenge

Stage 3) Modified as of March 2013

Bodywork: small plexi handlebar windshield, steel tubing rear sub frame add 20bs

Performance

Notes: Terry rode this in the Vetter Quail Challenge in this configuration. Not enough energy on board to go the 135 mile route.

Modifications:

Streamlined Vetter nose to sit upright….. 25lbs
Streamlined Vetter storage tail …………….50lbs
Handlebars moved up 3” and back 2” Stock seat pan height, thin piece of foam.

(4) batteries (stock 9kW and (3) 3kW more) 18kW total…………............................................... add 150lbs

Range at 70mph: 125miles

(6) 2.5 kW Elcon Chargers: @20lbs each 15kW of charging........................................................ 120lbs

Time to charge: 2hrs using (2) J1772 plugs

Weight without rider: 625lbs

2013 Coast to Coast record

Stage 4) Modified as of June 1, 2013 for Coast-to-Coast Record attempt

Notes: May 31-June 5, 2013 Terry set electric record for riding 2,450 miles, solo coast to coast in 5 days (135 hours) .

Then he took second riding from the Canadian Border to the Mexican Border in about 52 hours. Two drivers in a Tesla Model S car finished first in about 41 hours.

Terry failed to make it to the 2013 Vetter Challenge in Ohio due to wheel bearing failures

Modifications:

(4) batteries (The stock 9kW and (3) 3kW more)18kW total power………add 150lbs

Range at 70mph: 115miles
(The weight the passenger and a lot of gear made the range go down)

(6) 2500 watt chargers, plus (2) 1 kw stock chargers 17 kW of charging ..........….............add 150lbs

Time to charge: (1) hour using (4) J1772 plugs

2013 Coast to Coast 2-up

Stage 5) Modified as of November 15, 2013 for another coast-to-coast record attempt

Notes: Terry cut away the original Vetter tail away so a small "R2D2" passenger could be carried. R2D2’s job was to locate charge stations

Stock 33” seat pan height, thin piece of foam to sit on

Extended Vetter storage tail brought to a point adding 20lbs

Weight without rider: 800lbs Weight with Terry and passenger: 1100lbs

This was the first electric motorcycle to cross the country with a passenger, but due to melting an electrical connection, it did not break Terry’s previous 5 3/4 day record. Terry had cut away the structure so by now, the tail was falling apart.

2014 Bonneville winner

Modifications:

7 total batteries: The stock 9kWh pack is made up of (3) 3 kWh modules, plus 4 extra 3kWh batteries………………21kWh

(Total battery weight is 150lbs stock battery plus 200lbs extra batteries)……………..Add 200lbs

Range at 70mph: 175miles sitting up

6 Elcon chargers @ 15 lbs each………………. 90lbs

Time to charge…….. 75minutes using (3) J1772 plugs

Stage 6) Modified for the Bonneville Challenge August 25, 2014

Bodywork:
All new aluminum rear streamlining sub frame
Seat pan height lowered from 33” to 28.” Streamlined Vetter nose, sitting upright……………........................................................…..25lbs
New streamlined Vetter storage tail with new point … 40lbs

Weight: without rider:........................................................ 800lbs

Notes: This was the first Vetter Challenge that Terry actually competed in. At 175 miles, it was also the longest Vetter Challenge. Terry won the Electric Class as well as being the overall winner.

2014 Iron Butt

Modifications:

Same configuration as at Bonneville but with 3 more chargers, adding 60 more pounds

(9) 2.5kW Elcon chargers @ 15 lbs each 22.5kW………………............................135lbs

4 J1772 plugs, Charging time: 45min

Weight: without rider:............................ 850lbs.

Stage 7) Sep 15, 2014: Iron Butt “Saddlesore”: 1000 miles in 24 hours

Mike Kneebone, Iron Butt’s founder said that he did not think he would see this happen with an electric motorcycle in his lifetime.

Terry's comments:

"Range in the Iron Butt was about the same as the Vetter challenge. I had 60 more pounds but went 75-80 mph most of the time so I don't know the 70 mph number exactly. But the aerodynamics were the same. The events were only 3 weeks apart.

Weight is a curse and a blessing. When it is 850 pounds, the winds do not affect me. However, at a stop, it is hard to hold up. If it fell over, I could not pick it up by myself.

But when it is lighter, the winds can affect me more but it is easier to hold up at a stop.

I am almost to the point where any more weight will make the bike impractical to ride"

Modifications over winter of 2014-15

May 1, 2015: 200 miles

Modifications:

(9) Batteries

(2) Chargers .........................................135lbs

4 J1772 plugs; no charging

Weight: without rider:............................ 900lbs.