Our story
Born from a
world record.
8,209 km across America on one e-bike — and that ride still shapes every Zen we build.
Guinness World Record
Longest journey on a motorized bicycle.
At Zen, we believe in pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Zen founder Dr. Ravi Kempaiah set the Guinness World Record for the longest journey on a motorized bicycle in 2016, travelling 8,209 km in 34 days — roughly 250 km a day — across the breadth of the USA.
At the end of the ride, the cost of charging his batteries had been less than $6 for the entire journey.
That single astonishing number — $6 for 8,209 km — convinced him that e-bikes are the future of urban commuting. With that inspiration, he teamed up with experienced engineers and friends to bootstrap the company.
Watch: Birth of Zen E-Bike
The historic moment. 8,209 km, finished — the 2016 record ride.
Birth of Zen
Built by a rider who did the miles.
Ravi kept riding through the course of his doctoral research, learning first-hand what e-bike riders in North America really need. That experience still guides every design decision at Zen. Each bike is built with the same record-breaking spirit, crafted from high-quality materials and powered by reliable, tested technology.
With support from some of the world’s best scientists behind the team, the company was registered in Canada in November 2021, and assembly and delivery of e-bikes began in May 2022.
The route
Twelve states. One bicycle.
18 July – 20 August 2016, from coast to coast.
Test ride
See it in person
Ride a Zen at an authorized dealer in Canada or the USA — or talk to our team in Nova Scotia.
