The world record for the longest electric motorcycle ride has just been obliterated

A Belgian rider named Jelle Verstaen just set a new world record for the longest ride on an electric motorcycle on a single charge, covering 436.5 km (271.2 miles) before the battery ran dry. That smashes the old record of 310.7 km by more than 125 km. He rode a production Zero DS motorcycle fitted with the company's optional "Power Tank," which brings total battery capacity to 19.2 kWh — a relatively modest amount of energy, less than what you'd find in many plug-in hybrid cars.

The route started high in the French Alps and descended toward the Mediterranean coast, giving the bike some help from gravity along the way. Verstaen also kept his speed low, averaging about 32 mph, since wind resistance eats into range fast as speed climbs. Riding mostly overnight let him hold that slow pace without fighting daytime traffic. Two riding partners on other Zero models also beat the old record, reaching 217 and 239 miles, though neither matched Verstaen's total. The last stretch of the ride, about 62 miles, was done in heavy rain. Guinness World Records verified the attempt using GPS tracking and independent witnesses.

This isn't really a preview of normal riding conditions — nobody should expect to cruise 271 miles at highway speeds on a charge. But it does show that electric motorcycles can go much farther than people assume, at least when ridden efficiently and at a careful, steady pace.