Talk:SRF Model

These are notes being processed into articles under Gen3 but more specifically FST Platform.

Source

http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=8758.25

References

• Press coverage: https://electrek.co/2019/02/25/zero-sr-f-electric-motorcycle-launch/
• https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/zero/exclusive-2019-zero-sr-f-review-first-ride.html
• https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/the-edge-of-control-adding-bosch-stability-control-to-the-zero-srf-electric-motorcycle

Charger

• Onboard charging involves either one or two 3kW (15A @ L1 or L2) Rapid Charge Modules laid horizontally above the monolith.

  The Calex unit is gone.

  L1 charging requires an adapter.

  Cooling channels on each side are supplied with airflow by the tank fairing.

• The bike includes a J1772 (or Mennekes) inlet at the base of the tank near the seat.

  The cover opens upwards and the plug is oriented towards the side.

  Potentially, that cover could be susceptible to damage, or the inlet might get some weathering (just something to look out for).

• 12kW total L2 charging is available as an upgrade analogous to (if not identical to) the existing 6kW Charge Tank that replaces the tank storage bin.

  With 12kW, for a J1772 inlet, it's all single-phase through the one port.

  With 12kW, for a Mennekes / Type 2 inlet, the chargers are distributed around the 3 phases (6/3/3).

• There is no Accessory Charging Port or Anderson connectors included stock.

Power Tank

• The Power Tank seems to be the same, aside from requiring a new cable/communications harness.
• The bike seems to have better designed external plastic paneling, and is likely to have much better ingress shielding and management than the S/X platforms.

Firmware

• The firmware is now labeled "Cypher III".

  Cypher I and II were presumable pre-2013 and 2013+ version ranges.

  We don't know what the architectural diagrams imply yet.

  There's some IOT mentions which are worth evaluating on a number of levels (security, reliability, relationship of the bike to cloud services, ability to service equipment, ability to recover from a "brick" condition).

• There is no accessory charging port.
• The ODB-II diagnostic port is exposed within the tank bin under a plastic cover.
• The dash screen focused on durability+visibility and not touch-sensitivity.
• The wiring harness routes look smarter for servicing.

Brakes

• Dual front disc brakes with radial calipers.

Belt

• The belt has a new part number, and is 20mm wide, wider than the 2017+ MY belt.
• 151 Teeth, 11mm Pitch, 20mm Width

Layout

• No high voltage wiring seems to be present in the tail, intentionally.
• The underside of the tail is a hard smooth plastic surface; no real equipment will have mud flung on it.
• The rear of the battery seems to be covered with two separate panels for protection from the elements, upper and lower, under which the high voltage cabling and wires seem to exclusively reside.
• All of the main bus cabling runs very short lengths between the chargers and the battery, and between the battery, controller, and motor.
• This does seem to mean that there are fewer opportunities to plug into the high voltage bus/cabling for accessory chargers, and that any solution in this regard would require the sensitive procedure of controller taps or similar.
• The Power Pivot design involves brackets that cradle the motor, so there are separate bearings for the swingarm pivot vs the motor itself.

Controller

• The controller is now mounted to the underside of the frame at the rear of the battery bottom face, near the motor.
• The controller is by SME Group, model HyPer-Drive SME ACX144 ref. [1].
• The controller cover directs air over cooling fins, then to the motor whose fins are now axial vs radial.
• The hard plastic belly cover for the controller is not designed or rated to support the bike on a center lift.

  Honestly, it seems like this can be removed if the motor isn't run at peak performance levels.

• The tank storage bin includes a dual USB plug for phone/GPS/etc accessories.

Battery

• pouch cells are stacked with the edge facing upward, face forward.
• the fins are sized to equalize the temperature between cells in the center versus cells closer to the front or rear of the case. They were happy to get both good functionality and relatively attractive design out of the process.
• the plate in center is thick enough to aid in heat conduction but is primarily structural, with some openings within for cross connections.
• I’m unclear which side of the pack features cell interconnections and other safety features.
• I forgot to ask about temperature sensor layout, which has been a low key mystery for me. Seems like we’ll still have 7 internal sensors with one ambient sensor.
• the BMS is still in front under a harder plastic cover, but now lacks windows for status indicator lights and reset push buttons.
• the front cover is now bolted more securely than before (bolts into the front face rather than reaching around the side of the frame to anchor) but doesn’t depend on side panel removal first.
• panels covering the tank area seem more likely to shield moisture from a Power Tank accessory in bad weather.
• The team took pride in noting how much painful testing they performed in the SoCal deserts (death valley, etc) to see what it took to overheat the battery. They're much more confident in high ambient temperature and high output thermal performance for the battery, motor, and controller.
• No one mentioned cold weather performance, but wrapping the battery in 3mm of neoprene still seems workable and could fasten to the tube trellis.

Kickstand

• The kickstand is constructed differently, probably less likely to wear or bend in ways we've seen with the current generation.
• The kickstand pivot is behind the footpeg, and the kickstand lowers to the rear. There is a cutout on the bracket covering the swingarm pivot, and a corresponding rubber sleeve so that the spring doesn't wear into the bracket or the rider's boots.
• The bracket supporting both the rider and passenger footpegs was designed with removal and customization for e.g. racing in mind. Basically it should be easier to fabricate rearsets or the like.

Ergonomics

• The charging inlet port is latched magnetically, and opens without requiring the key to access.
• The tank lid closes (re-latches) without needing the key.
• The seat key access releases the passenger seat segment, but not the rider seat segment.
• Under the passenger seat segment is: part of the mount of the tail grab bars/horns, a tiny storage tray (enough for the tools needed to open the rest of the bike), two hooks for retaining helmets via their chin straps, and molded plastic covering the 12V wiring to the tail lights.
• Accessing the 12V system (battery, fuse block, distribution) requires removing a single bolt holding the rider seat segment on, which is under the passenger seat segment. Like many or most main parts of the bike, this requires a Torx T-15? drive.

  I happen to have a compact titanium drive set I could recommend to fit in the seat storage pocket.

• If the Charge Tank or Power Tank are installed, the tank plastics do not change, BUT the storage bin is replaced with a shallow bin or tray, enough to store gloves/map/tools.
• The tank and other plastics seem very well made (less susceptible to fatigue with weathering and use), and designed for easier roadside or garage servicing.
• The footpegs, turn signals (aside from coming with LEDs), and mirrors have not changed.
• The reach from the seat to the handlebars across the tank seems longer (and is probably derivable from the online photos if not an explicit dimension).
• The LCD display is replaced by a full-color TFT display.
• The mirror mounts seem set forward slightly from the bars, though I forgot to check that detail precisely.
• The bar ends are weighted aluminum on the model I checked.
• The stock tail sports bars for hooking or tying down cargo or for grabbing.

Controls

• The headlamp toggle switch is now on the front of the left switch assembly! Pulling it toggles the momentary flash-to-pass feature, and *pushing the tab forward* engages the high-beam mode. This felt a tiny bit fragile but usable and the switch is at least pretty solid.
• The left handlebar switch assembly's "face" is dominated by a mode switch which is a left/right toggle navigator with push-button effect. I believe it works the display settings.
• Turn signals are auto-canceling, because of the Bosch system's sensors.
• The turn signals mount to a single bracket and inlet, so swapping them for other options should be easier than with the tail extension juggling currently required.
• Heated grips are included with the premium factory trim but also will be a separate accessory; maybe everything on the premium trim will be available separately at least as a part order.

Low-Voltage Electrical

• The 12V battery and fuse box are under the rider's seat, which requires a bolt to release, and THEN under a plate under the seat, requiring more unbolting.

  BUT 12V loads will probably not trigger fuse blows, because there are separate 12V power distribution units (PDUs).

• The 12V battery is LiFeO₄ and has its own heater (12V, fused).
• The 12V accessory ports are:
  1. Sumitomo connector at the front of the tank
  2. an SAE connector below the seat on the right (presumably optimized for heated gear).
• The 12V power distribution is now able to operate/activate the motor controller, OBDII port, and other normal 12V loads.

  This will make roadside troubleshooting more informative.

• HV fuses are now accessible below the tank plastics on the left rear quarter, but require a Torx(?) bit to uncover. One for the DC/DC converter, and another for the MBB+Contactor(!), both SPT3.15A.