Zero Motorcycles turned heads in Milan at EICMA 2025 with the unveiling of its new LS1 electric scooter, a sleek and practical 60 mph (100 km/h) commuter built for European city streets. With its swappable batteries, off-board charging, and smart safety tech like ABS and traction control, the LS1 is clearly a strong contender in the urban EV space. It also marks a major shift for Zero, expanding beyond full-size electric motorcycles into a more accessible, everyday format.
But will it come to the US market?
At the show I had the chance to speak with James Callahan of Zero, and he confirmed that the LS1 is not coming to the US market, at least not in its current form or in the near future. “The scooter market in the US is still very small,” Callahan explained, “so for now, we’re focused on Europe, where the demand is much higher.”
And while interest from American riders may exist, there’s another hurdle: the LS1 isn’t homologated for the US, meaning it doesn’t meet certain regulatory standards like the NHTSA’s lighting requirements. Its slick continuous LED turn signal bar would need to be redesigned entirely, among other tweaks to the design.
The LS1 comes equipped with two removable batteries that live in the floorboard and can be charged indoors using an 800W charger – or even faster with a 1,500W upgrade. A third battery can be added under the seat for extended range, while that same underseat storage area also hides a cavity large enough for a helmet or groceries.
Add in a low seat height, a short wheelbase, and user-friendly features, and you’ve got a solid commuter platform. But it’s a platform that we’re not likely to see in the US for a long time.
So while the LS1 represents an exciting new chapter for Zero in Europe, fitting with the company’s recent move out of California and into the Netherlands, don’t expect to see it zipping down US streets anytime soon.
Though it’s not all bad news for our American readers. There’s a spark of hope that Zero’s more affordable off-road electric motorcycles launched in the US market this year could be getting street-legal homologation, though not immediately. More on that soon…
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