When turning the key in the switch of the two-wheeled car, no fuel injection, an (almost worrying) absence of start-up noise, roar and burning smell.
Would the bike break us down?
No, because it is an electric model, straight out of the workshops of the American brand Zero.
We will test three of them, the time of this three-day press trip, organized by the Portuguese tourist office in the Algarve, a region in the south of the country renowned for its postcard decorations.
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During these three days, we will swallow some 420 kilometers in changeable weather (the rain fell on our helmet from the first day) and on the handlebars of mounts shining by their power, their comfort and of course their silence.
The trip is described by the organizer as "
carbon-free
»: all the motorizations involved in the road trip (motorcycles like the vehicles following us at each stage) carry electric propulsion units.
A real plus on paper to reduce its carbon footprint, especially when we know that Portugal has chosen to invest massively in renewable energies (wind, hydroelectricity or biomass).
On a practical level, however, all-electric will involve, as we will see, certain time and mileage sacrifices... Saddle up!
Read alsoWhere to go in Portugal this summer?
Our essentials across the country
In the Algarve, our 420 km route takes us in three stages from Tavira to Sagres.
Le Figaro
The key word: comfort
The "Zero" models tested
Go to slideshow (3)
The journey begins in Tavira, a small coastal town located about forty kilometers from Faro, capital of the Algarve, and characterized by its sandy beaches and salt marshes.
After a quick brief on the performance and characteristics of our frames of the day, our attention is drawn to a rather imposing model that looks like a police vehicle: white fairings decorated with blue, crash bars on the sides and transport cases on the inside. rear... A whole panoply of accessories making our motorized two-wheeler heavier in practice.
Code name: Zero DS.
The manufacturer gives it a range ranging from 169 to 262 kilometers, for a maximum speed of 158 km/h.
Apparently exhilarating figures, especially when you know that the racing car flirts with 13,000 euros (without options).
Read alsoCycling: five routes to explore the Algarve by bike
We turn on the ignition, engage the button acting as a starter/circuit breaker and operate the throttle grip.
First impression ?
It feels like riding a bicycle!
The handling of the machine is almost immediate, the acceleration is straightforward and you feel great stability once at a good pace.
The experience is all the more striking as the day begins with heavy showers lathering the road and its bends.
Beginning with stops in Loulé and Silves, two cities with a strong North African heritage, the trip ends in Portimão, a cosmopolitan city known for its motor racing circuit.
At the end of this first day, we feel a little tired, but it remains relative when we know that we have spent several hours against the wind and in difficult climatic conditions.
It's that the bike is comfortable: the absence of an internal combustion engine and therefore of vibrations as well as background noise, makes the difference over these first 130 kilometres.
And in terms of energy consumption?
No particular alert for the time being.
We didn't pay too much attention to the LED indicating the remaining power.
The motorcycles will be recharged immediately and for the entire night, the model tested for this first day (the Zero DS) requiring nearly 9 hours to reach 100% charge.
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Weather, events... The best period by region
The point of vigilance: the sport mode
Crazy about the handle, beware of your consumption: the fuel shortage could happen faster than expected.
Bruno Ribeiro
The next two days, on the other hand, will severely test the autonomy of the mounts.
The next day, we trade our “trail” for a much lighter model and, in theory, more autonomous in electricity: the Zero S. Once on the way, we engage innocently the “sport” world.
Big mistake!
Here, everything is only reliefs and unevenness.
So much so that when crossing the summit of Mount Foia (which culminates at 902 meters), the dashboard indicates a remaining autonomy of... 53%!
Luckily, there's a scheduled stop halfway through the walled city of Lagos to recharge for lunch time.
Without that, it's impossible to finish this second day on two wheels.
To read alsoJacques-Olivier Martin: “Driving in electric, the good joke…”
Same configuration the next day: with 142 kilometers on the clock, the day promises to be rather calm.
Except that we progress mainly on open roads and the highway, where the speed is much higher than in the mountains.
Balance on the clock, still halfway through: 48% autonomy on the Zero SR/F model, the most powerful at our disposal with a top speed of 200 km/h.
We are forced to use the accelerator sparingly for the rest of the day, which will ultimately be cut by a few tens of kilometers, our guide estimating that our motorcycles will not be able to reach the finish in Sagres.
A stop had however been made at noon to (partly) recharge the batteries, but that was not enough: apart from our mount of the day, the motorcycles are not equipped with a special socket allowing a charging speed fast, which reduces the wait from 9 to just 2 hours.
The balance sheet: efficient, but over short distances
While waiting for more efficient batteries in terms of autonomy to arrive on the market, plan a reasonable mileage for your road trip on an electric motorcycle.
Bruno Ribeiro / Photo press
On arrival in front of the fortress of Sagres, the results are still satisfactory: despite the humid climatic conditions for the first two days, the road trip did not draw too much of our energy.
This is mainly linked to the comfort of the motorcycles, but also to the organization put in place.
We didn't have to worry too much about charging stops, because everything was done to make our lives easier, or almost: on the last day, due to the lack of available terminals near the village of Odeceixe, our group was forced to plug in the motorcycles... in a resident's kitchen!
Read alsoThe Portugal of family homes: our favorite
solares
from Minho to Alentejo
When planning your future trip on an electric motorcycle, you should therefore prepare your routes as well as possible: we advise you not to exceed 100 kilometers per day.
You will be able to have fun without worrying too much about your energy consumption (and activate the sport mode in peace).
If you want to plan your road trip in Portugal, know that electric motorcycles with the Zero logo will be available for rent from Hertz from the end of the year.
In the meantime, it's up to you to have fun with a gasoline-powered motorcycle, but the fuel bill could be steep...
Practical notebook
GO
By plane, arrival at Faro airport via Transavia.
Transavia.com
OR SLEEP
In Tavira,
Vila Gale Albacora
is a 4-star hotel located about fifteen minutes by car from Faro airport.
The ideal base for visiting the eastern Algarve before discovering its western coast.
From 135 euros per night.
Such.
: (+351) 281 329 900;
vilagale.com
Tivoli Marina Portimao.
Recognizable from afar by its yellow colour, this hotel complex with swimming pool offers direct access to the sea and Praia da Rocha.
It also has a beautiful restaurant with a direct view of the Arade River.
From 135 euros per night.
Tel: (+351) 282 460 200;
tivolihotels.com
A MOTORCYCLE
Electromaps, this application, very popular in Portugal, allows you to locate all the electric charging stations within a defined radius.
Ideal for planning a road trip without worrying about running out of fuel.
ASK ABOUT
Portuguese Tourist Board.
Such.
: 08 11 65 38 38 or on the Visit Portugal website.
