Electric motorcycles are hard sells. Despite the success of small, dirt-bike-based entrants like Stark Future's Varg, and the whole world of Sur-Ron lookalikes that dominate the youth market, actual road-going EVs just don't have the appeal or practicality of their ICE cousins.
Even those who've been playing this game for forever have their issues, or have the might of Harley-Davidson behind it. And nowhere is that statement truer than with Zero Motorcycles, one of the OGs in the electric motorcycle game.
It's no secret that the company has been going through difficult times as of late, as there have been layoffs, recalls, and its recent announcement that it'd be moving nearly its entire footprint overseas to the Netherlands. All of which is coming at a time when it could have very well launched the most important EV motorcycles since its inception, i.e., the XE and XB dirt bikes, something we recently tested and have a forthcoming review on.
But in the wee hours of Friday morning, the company released that its tumult was still ongoing, as longtime CEO Sam Paschel is leaving the company effective immediately, and former Kia executive Pierre-Martin Bos would be taking the helm as his replacement.
"On behalf of the entire Zero Motorcycles team, I want to thank Sam for his outstanding leadership and the remarkable legacy he leaves behind," said Pierre-Martin Bos in the brand's press release about the swap, adding, "Sam’s vision, passion, and commitment have transformed Zero into a global leader in electric mobility. I am honored to build upon the strong foundation Sam has created and to lead Zero into its next era of innovation and growth."
The new CEO added, "As I step into the role of CEO at Zero Motorcycles, I am honored to join a team that has set the standard for electric innovation and rider experience,” said Bos. “My career has been defined by building bridges; across cultures, markets, and technologies, and I am excited to help Zero accelerate its global impact."
Bos' own experience is tied to the automotive realm, however, having worked for Kia as Director of Purpose Built Vehicles in his most recent position, while also working for Stellantis, i.e., the parent company of Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Maserati, and a few others. And Bos worked in the Europe, Africa, and Asia departments of the latter. Interestingly, the newly-minted Zero Motorcycles CEO doesn't appear to have any motorcycle knowledge or know-how, which has become a more frequent occurrence in recent years, with Harley-Davidson tapping not just one, but two successive CEOs with no motorcycle ties.
To paraphrase the move Dodgeball, "Bold move, Cotton, let's see if it pays off for them."
Paschel, however, won't be leaving the company altogether, as the press release states he'll remain as an advisory player to the company. But again, there's a whole lot of other things going on behind the scenes at Zero, as the company's move, its layoffs, its lackluster sales, and likely the constant looming threat and real pain caused by idiotic tariffs have likely taken their toll on the most well-known of the EV motorcycle companies.
Here's hoping that the company can pull off the XE and XB launches, and get them to where I do think they can go with them. Because if Zero can, those will become the best-selling bikes in the company's lineup by far, as every kid I see has an electric dirt bike these days.
