Zero recall highlights a larger problem for California manufacturer

A model couple enjoying their limited*-edition Zero S.
(*by buyer interest.)

I see over on A&R that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall notice* for Zero's two road-going EV motorcycles. The bikes, apparently, have some defect that can cause them to suddenly lose power.

What caught my eye was, when NHTSA issues a recall, they cite the number of vehicles affected. In the case of the Zero S and DS models, that number was 312.

Yes, with the peak of the 2012 riding season well past, they've sold a total of 312 street bikes this year.


(*Insert your own election-year rant about over-regulation here. I'm sure Rand Paul would happily eliminate NHTSA's funding, confident in the belief that a completely free market is the best mechanism to ensure that auto and motorcycle manufacturers will sell us safe, reliable transportation.)