DigiNow Zero Super Charger
Game-changing battery charger able to charge e-bike batteries to 80% in less than an hour
DigiNow has today announced the launch of the Super Charger, which is able to bring any Zero Motorcycle since 2013 to at least 80% charge, in most use cases, in under an hour. The Super Charger can also be used to recharge batteries in other electric vehicles, including the Victory/Brammo, Lightning Motorcycles and even electric cars.
The Super Charger project was spearheaded by DigiNow’s Chief Technology Officer Brandon Nozaki Miller, who you might remember from our The Life Electric series, along with the assistance of eMotorWerks, an experienced team of electronic engineers in Mountain View, California.
When used in tandem with the onboard charger, DigiNow claims the Super Charger can charge at up to 12kW peak power and up to 9kW continuous – that’s 7-10 times more powerful than the standard Zero charger, allowing a completely drained battery to reach 80% charge in under 60 minutes. Of course, since most users don’t completely drain their batteries on each ride, this means a full charge could be achieved in even less time.
A J1772 connector is included with the Super Charger for North American customers (European customers get a Mennekes connector), allowing a rider to take advantage of the network of Level 2 charging stations around the country. In fact, Miller says he would personally remove the stock Zero onboard charger, which weighs 10lbs and only provides 1.3kW, and use the Super Charger exclusively, accepting the 20-lb weight penalty for the vastly superior 7.5kW charging power it provides at J1772 stations. When plugged into a NEMA 14-50 power outlet, the same outlet used for a household clothes dryer and the one found at many RV parks, charging power increases to 10kW continuous.
The Super Charger is able to be used either onboard a Zero or off, and can work in conjunction with the charger already equipped on the S, DS, SR or FX. For S, DS and SR models. The unit fits nicely in the compartment normally reserved for the Power Tank range extender in the faux gas tank, and weighs approximately half as much. FX models, and those who already have the Power Tank installed will have to use an aftermarket top case in order to fit the Super Charger. This is the setup electric evangelist Terry Hershner will be using on his Zero.
Because the Super Charger is portable and able to be carried in something like a top case, a major benefit of the Super Charger is its ability to be used on virtually any electric vehicle, two wheels or four. It can also be used as an off-board charging station when plugged into a NEMA outlet.
Miller says the connectors are modular to support the use of the Super Charger on a variety of electric vehicles, including older Zeros. “Their batteries are so small,” he said “they can be charged in no time.” He gave the example of a prototype Super Charger unit he tested on his 2012 Zero S with the ZF6 (6 kWh) battery, claiming that bike could go from fully flat to fully charged in under 40 minutes. “Charging from 30% to 90% would be ridiculous,” he said. “Like stop, plug in, go pee, then go ride again.”
This isn’t DigiNow’s first foray into building Zero accessories, having built a Bluetooth dongle to connect a smartphone directly to the bike’s brain. However, its history with Zero has mostly been racing related. The small company isn’t tied up in bureaucracy whenever a change is called for, which gives Miller and his team the ability to be flexible and pivot quickly from one project to the next.
Introductory pricing for the Super Charger is set at $2944, and a very limited number of units will be available in the first production batch. The units will ship on November 24, and as an extra incentive for users, eMotorWerks will offer a generous discount on its JuiceBox EV Charging Station when purchased together with a Super Charger.
Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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At that price, no friggin thanks. After 8 months of ownership and nearly 5,000 miles, not once have I needed this. The slow method works just fine for me.
40-50 minutes is a lot of peeing, how much beer does one drink during or before the average ride? :D
I'm sure this stuff will really turn heads on a race track but this type of ride won't see any real use from the rest of the world for a long time. Short urban travel perhaps but electric bikes are right up there with some tesla's in price, so good luck with that.