Curtiss Motorcycles – formerly known as Confederate – has revealed the first of a range of electric bikes that will form the backbone of its future line-up.
While the first bike to carry the Curtiss name was the petrol-engined Warhawk, the new Zeus represents the real direction Curtiss intends to follow, and the released bike shows the company has lost none of its desire for avant-garde styling.
While the CNC-milled aluminium frame and girder fork are in line with the exotic V-twin cruisers that Confederate made its name with, the Zeus is power by two electric motors.
The new-generation motors and electronics have been provided by Zero Motorcycles, and with two motors instead of one, the Zeus is reckoned to make as much as 130kW and a crazy 393Nm of torque.
By comparison, the most powerful Zero currently available makes just 45kW and 110Nm.
The batteries are packed into a machined aluminium case at the front of the chassis. Called the T-Block, it’s designed to hint at the shape of a conventional boxer twin engine.
Other future Curtiss models will have an array of different battery layouts, each aping a traditional cylinder layout. Designs under development include the V-Block, I-Block, Slant Block and Porcupine Block.
While the Zeus is clearly going to be a very expensive machine, Curtiss hopes to introduce models that are much more affordable in future.
Another encouraging aspect for future prospects is that, if Curtiss is able to buy from Zero a 130kW powertrain and electronics, it’s hard to imagine that Zero itself won’t use a similar arrangement in a future machine, making a more affordable high-performance electric bike not so far from reality.
More to come from Curtiss
In a letter to America’s NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) earlier this year, Curtiss listed four models for 2018.
The V-twin-powered Warhawk, which uses an S&S petrol engine like the ones that powered the Confederate bikes, was the first to be revealed, and now the electric T-Block Zeus has been unveiled. Two more electric models are still to come – the Starfire V-Block and the Hercules. Given the T-Block chassis of the Zuess replicates a Boxer twin, it’s a safe bet the V-Block will replicate a big V-Twin.
While all four were named as 2018 models, it seems unlikely that the Zeus, Starfire or Hercules will make it to showrooms this year. It’s most likely that the electric range will not reach customers for another year, possibly even as 2020 models.
Ben Purvis
