Zero Motorcycles has secured a $900,000 grant from the California Energy Commission for the company to begin development of a new advanced compact electric powertrain. The city of Santa Cruz is matching the grant with an additional $900,000; and with other contributions, Zero has raised a total of $1.84 million dollars. This figure would seem to be in addition to the $5.5 million the company raised earlier in the year. The powertrain Zero is developing is rumored to have multiple speeds, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it was water-cooled.