Love them or loathe them, there’s no denying the impact Tesla has had on electric vehicles. The brand helped turn EVs from science experiments and city novelties into status symbols and serious alternatives to internal combustion. And while Elon Musk tends to grab most of the spotlight, Tesla was—and still is—home to a lot of brilliant people quietly building the future.
So it makes perfect sense that a few of those folks would eventually branch out and start something of their own. That’s exactly what happened with Zeno, a new EV startup based out of Bengaluru. The company was founded by Michael Spencer, a former Tesla executive who once helped scale the Model 3 and Model Y programs and led efforts on Supercharger deployment. Now, he’s got his sights set on a very different kind of challenge: building an electric motorcycle for the everyday rider.
Their first creation is called the Emara, and it’s not just another sleek concept bike made for showrooms and Instagram likes.
At first glance, the Emara seems simple, even modest. But it’s packing some clever ideas under its rugged skin. It runs on a 4 kWh battery powering an 8 kW (10.7 hp) motor, delivering about 62 miles of real-world range and a top speed of 59 mph. That’s more than enough for the daily grind, especially in urban and semi-urban areas. It even comes with four ride modes so you can tweak performance based on how much juice you need.
What really sets it apart, though, is the flexibility in ownership and charging. You can buy the Emara outright with the battery for 119,000 rupees (around $1,425). Or you can save some cash upfront and go for the battery subscription model. That brings the sticker price down to 79,000 rupees (about $945) and gives you the option to either pre-pay for battery usage or pay as you go. Zeno offers two monthly prepaid plans: 1,500 rupees for 48 kWh (about $18 for 30 miles per day) and 2,500 rupees for 120 kWh (roughly $30 for 75 miles per day), or you can simply pay 52 rupees per kWh used (around $0.62 per kWh).
Charging is just as convenient. Fast charging takes 1.5 hours at any public station with a Type 6 connector, while a home charger does the job in six. If you’re on the subscription plan, you can also swap your battery at a Zeno station—no waiting, no range anxiety.
Design-wise, the Emara is clearly built with function in mind. It’s got a high-mounted mudguard, a small flyscreen, and 7.5 inches of ground clearance. The long single-piece seat and sturdy chassis let you haul up to 550 pounds, and the bike can even tackle 30-degree inclines. Add in some optional storage boxes and you’ve got room for all the cargo your heart desires. After all, it’s made to be a workhorse, not a weekend toy.
And Zeno isn’t stopping at India either. The company is already eyeing Africa, where two-wheelers are essential for mobility and commerce. In places where motorcycles are a lifeline for taxi drivers and delivery riders, something like the Emara could be game-changing.
All this puts Zeno in a pretty interesting spot. It’s not trying to sell luxury or speed or exclusivity. It’s building something that just works, for the people who need it the most. And with the kind of pedigree its founders bring—from Tesla, Ola Electric, Ather, and Apple—there’s reason to believe they might just pull it off.
As for whether something like the Emara could take off in more developed markets—that’s an interesting question. In Europe, sure. Lightweight electric two-wheelers are already carving out a solid niche. Urban dwellers are warming up to EV mopeds, scooters, and bikes, especially with strong incentives and bike-friendly infrastructure in place.
But in the US? That’s trickier.
You see, the average American rider still leans toward big gas-powered cruisers or high-performance sportbikes. Utility-focused commuters like the Emara haven’t quite found their moment yet—at least not on a national scale. That said, with rising fuel costs, tighter city regulations, and a growing appetite for practical EVs, that moment may not be far off. The real key would be price and positioning.
And if Zeno can offer something this capable for under $1,500, it could spark some serious interest, especially among delivery riders, college students, or urban commuters looking for an affordable alternative.
So yeah, the future of electric mobility might not come wrapped in chrome or clad in carbon fiber. It might look a lot more like the Zeno Emara. And that might just be exactly what the world needs—whether it realizes it yet or not.
Source: Zeno
