All the information you need about electric motorcycle charging
We are stoked at the growing popularity of electric vehicles, however, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about electric motorcycles, specifically electric motorcycle charging. This article will answer some of your biggest questions and tell you everything you need to know about powering your electric motorcycle.
Even though electric vehicles are still relatively new in Australia, by 2040, electric vehicles (EVs) are projected to account for 70% to 100% of new vehicle sales and at least 30% of the vehicle fleet in Australia.
Infrastructure Australia is well underway developing a massive network of fast-charging stations all over the country to power this growing sustainable technology.
The questions we answer in this article are:
- Are all EV chargers the same?
- How do I charge my motorcycle at home?
- How do I charge my motorcycle at work?
- Where can I find electric motorcycle charging stations?
- Do I need any special equipment for a motorcycle?
- What’s the difference between charging a car and charging a motorcycle?
- How long does it take to charge an EV motorcycle battery?
Are all EV chargers the same?
Not exactly, currently there are three different types of EV chargers available. The below explanation was sourced from the Electrical Vehicle Council.
Level 1:
Existing power point (10-15 Amp, single phase), used in combination with a specialised cable which is supplied with the vehicle.
Used in standalone domestic homes.
This method will add between 10 and 20km of range per hour plugged in.
It will top up daily use, but will not fully recharge a typical pure electric vehicle overnight.
Level 2:
A dedicated AC EV charger at up to 7kW (32 Amp, single phase).
Typically installed in homes, apartment complexes, workplaces, shopping centres, hotels, etc – anywhere the vehicle will be parked for a while.
This method will add up to 40km of range per hour plugged in.
It will top up average daily vehicle use in an hour, or deliver a full recharge overnight.
Level 3:
A dedicated DC EV charger at power levels from 25kW to 350kW (40 – 500 Amp, three phase).
Typically used in commercial premises and road-side locations to provide for faster recharging than Level 1 and 2 can achieve.
At the lower end, this method will add up to 150km of range per hour plugged in. At the upper end, this method can fully recharge some electric vehicles in 10 to 15 minutes.
How do I charge my electric motorcycle at home?
You can charge your e-motorcycle at home by accessing power from the grid you same way you would charge anything electric. Electric motorcycles come their own charging cable as standard that you are able to plug in to any three-pin socket – a level 1 charger.
You can also talk to specialist electricians about installing a level 2 charger in your home for faster charging.
How can I charge my electric motorcycle at work?
Similar to charging at home, unless your workplace has a level 2 charging station installed, all you will need is any three pin socket to charge your motorcycle. However, if you have charged your bike overnight while at home, the battery will keep it’s charge meaning that hopefully you shouldn’t need to worry about charging your motorcycle at work.
Where can I find electric motorcycle charging stations?
As of November 2021, there are around 3,000 public chargers installed across the country, mainly clustered around major cities, with more being built in the year to come. You can find public charging stations at many major service stations, and also at major shopping centres. Many e-motorcycle brands have smartphone apps that communicate allow your bike to communicate with your device, these apps have a feature that shows you the closest charging stations within your immediate area.
If you would like to see how many charging stations are in your local area, check out this map by the Electric Vehicle Council.
Do I need any special equipment to charge my motorcycle?
As we mentioned above, when you purchase an electric motorcycle you will receive a charging cable as standard. There is a push across the electric vehicle industry to standardise charging ports making charging stations available to every vehicle, every where.
Is charging an electric motorcycle different from charging an electric car?
You will need to find out whether your specific electric motorcycle is suitable for the charging station available.
How far can I go on a single charge?
Again this is dependant on the electric motorcycle you have.
Energica motorcycles have a range of approximately 160 – 250km per charge depending on the model you have.
Zero motorcycles have a range of approcimately 110 – 160km per charge depending on the model.
As battery technology improves the distance you will be able to travel will improve also.
How long does it take to charge an electric motorcycle battery?
To sound like a broken record, each electric motorcycle brand is different depending on the technology it’s developed. Energica motorcycles can take an hour to charge, whereas Zero motorcycles can take up to two hours.
Hopefully this article has answered the questions you have about charging your electric motorcycle and where you can access electric motorcycle charging. If you still have any unanswered questions, please comment below, or email to ask us. We will be updating this article as time goes on to give you as much information you need to make the switch to EV motorcycles.