Zero Motorcycles has announced that its newest line of electric motorbikes will see a price increase in the US due to the Trump Administration’s tariff policy. But the saving grace is that the company is allowing reservations made in the next few weeks to secure pre-tariff pricing.
Zero launched its new X-line of smaller electric motorcycles late last year, ushering in a Sur Ron-style pair of bikes that cost a mere fraction of the company’s larger street bikes.
Designed for off-road use in the US or both on and off-road use in Europe, the Zero XB and XE were designed to be as affordable to new riders as they are approachable.
The XB was unveiled with a price tag of a mere US $4,195 or €4,500, while the larger and more powerful XE carried a price tag of US $6,495 or €6,500.
The pair were part of the motorcycle maker’s plans to have six unique models all priced at under US $10,000 in the next two years. However, those plans may face increasing pressure after the Trump Administration imposed harsh new tariffs on imported goods to the US, forcing many manufacturers to increase prices.
Zero’s push for more affordable electric motorcycles is made possible mainly by its partnership with Chinese electric motorcycle manufacturers like Zongshen. While such companies have years of experience manufacturing motorcycles at more affordable prices, their relative cost advantage could take a serious hit under the US’s aggressive stance towards foreign-produced goods.
The first XB and XE motorcycles are expected to be delivered to existing reservation holders this Summer. However, for anyone who doesn’t yet have a pre-order in place, Zero says that it will still honor the existing pricing for reservations placed before May 18, 2025.
Bikes reserved in the next two weeks are not expected to ship until later this year, meaning they will almost certainly be subject to increased tariffs, though it appears Zero is prepared to eat those tariffs for an early group of reservation holders.
“Zero Motorcycles remains committed in our mission to deliver industry-leading electric motorcycles while maintaining an accessible price point for consumers around the world,” said Sam Paschel, CEO of Zero Motorcycles. “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. And by honoring prices for early reservation holders – despite the shifting global economy – we’re reinforcing our position as the leader in the electric space and building the future of two-wheel transportation.”
Electrek’s Take
What a time to double down on Chinese partnerships. I feel for Zero, who was obviously looking for a way to reach more riders, especially young riders in the Sur Ron/Talaria demographic, and found the obvious way to do so by going to the world’s biggest market for producing e-motorcycles.
That’s not to say that US-based production isn’t possible. Zero used to do more production locally before slowly shifting more and more of its manufacturing overseas. There are still companies like Ryvid who manufacture in the US, though even those companies rely on many imported components and will still likely take a hit from tariffs.
The long and the short of it is that the entire electric motorcycle industry is going to be shaken by these tariff policies, and no US consumer will spared. Or at least, none after May 18th.
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