The Energica Eva Ribelle RS is the quintessential sportbike with range And recharge that makes it practical

The electric bike sector is growing in three dimensions: the number of builders, the number of models from each builder, and the level of tech. The field is expanding each year with more emphasis on moving away from gas-powered vehicles. Range and recharge are critical specs when evaluating an electric bike as well as sporty performance. Energica manages to come out on top with its Eva Ribelle RS.

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Off the showroom floor, the Ribelle RS carries itself more as a supersport with a full cowling scoop up front and a mostly enclosed section where you'd normally find the engine. It extends downward to form a chin fairing that extends aft to form the belly pan. The part that's open reveals little but the rear elements of the drivetrain, and it's this glimpse plus the lack of exhaust pipes that gives the game away.

While I don't mind the look of the EV bikes out there in general, I appreciate that Energica went to lengths to blend in with the crowd. It neither wears its EV status like a badge nor does it try to hide all the incriminating bits to appear to be a smokerbike.

It's billed as a supersport, but the factory offers a set of optional saddlebags, a tank bag, and a windscreen to turn it into a decent commuter or even a tourbike in one of the established electric corridors. The flyline could belong to any gas-powered supersport, though the stubby tail is definitely an Eye-Tie element, and it all comes together quite nicely in the end. Rosso Corsa Red with black body panels over blackout underpinnings joins by a Stealth Grey colorway and a Tricolore package that's available for the 2022 Eva Ribelle RS.

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There's just no way around it, the battery, motor, and charger capacity are the real selling points here. Add to that the performance profile, which is significant, to say the least, and it's plenty enough to shame all comers. Maybe not at the top end, governed at 125 mph, but in how fast it gets there.

With a blistering, 2.6-second 0-to-60 time, it'll spank almost anything with an ICE whether it be two wheels or four. This puts it in good company at the top of the pack with the Gixxer 1000 and the Hayabusa to name a few. Once it's spooled up to 8,500 rpm it produces a sustained 149 horsepower with a peak output of 171 ponies, but the 159 pound-feet of torque is available as soon as you roll on the least little bit. The motor draws 300 Volts DC, which is a lot, but the liquid cooling takes care of business to keep the system from melting down.

The lithium-polymer battery packs as much as 21.5 kWh per charge with a nominal capacity of 18.9 kWh and projected lifespan of 1,200 discharge/recharge cycles, the last of which is fairly standard of the genre. It comes with an onboard 3 kW charger that will charge at a rate of 40 miles per hour of charging on either 110 Volts or 230 Volts, which can be had at home. The Stage 4 charging station charges at a rate of 250 miles per hour of charging, so you can be ready to go in just over an hour from a depleted state, which is pretty good by anyone's standards.

A regenerative-braking feature also converts kinetic energy back into electric energy which is then stored in the battery to extend your range. As for said range, a full charge nets you 261 miles in the city, 123 miles on the superslab, and 153 miles combined, which opens up the possibility of using it for a mid-range commuter as well.

Electronics are also a big part of the package that is the Eva Ribelle RS. The physical brakes rely on Bosch ABS to prevent wheel slip, while the regenerative brakes also benefit from an eABS, so you're covered all around. They come with six levels of intervention, so you can dial in the desired amount of slip. The regenerative brakes also have choices with three levels of intervention and even "Off" if you prefer, while a quartet of Riding Modes let you dial in the power delivery.

A 4.3-inch color TFT display acts as the instrumentation and the interface for the top-shelf electronics. Integrated GPS support pairs nicely with a Bluetooth connection that networks with your smartphone for vehicle status and charge monitoring.

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A tubular-steel Trellis props the Ribelle RS up with a cast-aluminum, yoke-style swingarm to complete the bones and cast-aluminum wheels to round out the rolling chassis. The hoops come off the top rack with Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires that come rated for speeds well over that of the governed Ribelle.

A pair of 43 mm Marzocchi forks float the front end on the full trinity of tweaks. Out back, a Bitubo monoshock takes care of business with adjustable rebound damping and preload to give you thorough control over the ride quality. All of this leaves the Ribelle RS feeling very nimble and willing in the curves.

Brembo anchors haul things down with powerful, four-bore, opposed-piston calipers that bite the dual 330 mm front brake discs. Out back, a twin-piston anchor and 240 mm disc handles the brakeage.

Zero Motorcycle has long been at the forefront of EV bike development, and it has the honor of having the runner-up for Best of 2022 in its SR/S. The bodywork is similarly supersport-esque, but the fairing and windscreen steer into sport-tour country. A smokerbike-like flyline includes a faux tank hump and upswept subframe with room for a passenger.

Power falls off a skosh on the Zero with only 110 ponies and 140 pounds o' grunt against 149/159 on the Ribelle, though top speed is also governed at 124 mph for a virtual tie with the Energica. Mileage suffers with 187 miles in the city and a proportional drop in highway miles to leave the SR/S a bit behind in range-per-charge as well.

In full disclosure, Zero's accessories can either extend the battery capacity or boost the onboard recharge rate, but that is over and above the stock price of $23,995. Off the showroom floor, it's another virtual tie with the Ribelle MSRP at $23,800. Zero also matches Energica's electronic ride-control gadgetry to leave the main difference that of mileage, which is the front-burner issue for EV bikes, and one of the last hurdles to becoming mainstream.

TJ got an early start from his father and other family members who owned and rode motorcycles, and by helping with various mechanical repairs throughout childhood. That planted a seed that grew into a well-rounded appreciation of all things mechanical, and eventually, into a formal education of same. Though primarily a Harley rider, he has an appreciation for all sorts of bikes and doesn’t discriminate against any particular brand or region of origin. He currently holds an Associate’s degree in applied mechanical science from his time at the M.M.I.