Generally speaking, you don’t buy a motorcycle because it is especially fuel efficient. You might buy one to save some money on gas if you have a long commute and live in a location where the weather would let you ride it all year ‘round, but most folks buy a bike for recreation rather than to save the planet. When you think about a big old Harley, you don’t think about having zero emissions. Now, thanks to two different companies, you can enjoy the sport of motorcycle riding while greatly reducing your overall carbon footprint.

The Enertia by Brammo

The first electric motorcycle worth mentioning is the Enertia. The Enertia, made by Brammo, focuses on eliminating some of the intimidating aspects of motorcycles and emphasizing the more joyful aspects. This lightweight motorcycle is the original mass-produced electric motorcycle. It’s approachable, fun and creates a perfect balance between the idea of the motorcycle of the past and the motorcycle of the future.

The Enertia is a completely electrical motorcycle. It uses no gas, no motor oil and no petrochemicals. It’s made in the U.S. with clean energy, and uses many different recycled materials. Making an Enertia takes less than a tenth of the resources needed to make a car. In addition, the Lithium Ion batteries used in the Enertia don’t use heavy metals, and can be recycled for other uses.

The Zero X electric motorcycle

The Enertia isn’t the only electric motorcycle on the road, however. The X electric motorcycle, made by Zero Electric Motorcycles of Santa zCZruz, California, is another ultra-lightweight motorcycle that runs on electricity.

What’s especially exciting about the Zero X is that it is really the first electric vehicle of its kind to have a performance envelope that can meaningfully threaten a gasoline powered motorcycle. Designed by Neal Saiki, a former NASA employee and graduate of California Polytechnic. Saiki used a small, rare-earth-magnet electric motor, which he originally became familiar with at NASA, to power the Zero X.

The frame for the Zero X is based on the kind of ultra-lightweight components that are used in the bicycle world. Combined with lithium ion batteries, such as the ones that power most electronic devices, this means that the bike can have zero emissions. Saiki even developed a special way to pack the cells of a lithium ion battery, making it the smallest, coolest-running and lightest version of the battery around.

Zero is working on another bike, a Supermoto-styled bike for commuters. The Zero S will be released soon, and will be fully road legal and have a top speed of 70 miles per hour. The bike should have a range of at least 150 miles in between charges.

These types of electric motorcycles may be eligible for motorcycle insurance in some areas, as well.