Three new electric scooters have been launched onto the market by British company, e-motive.
The e1, e3 and e5 models cost from £1399, produce no exhaust emissions and are very economical to run, costing just one penny per mile.
The top-of-the-range £3999 e5 model can reach 65mph and the company claims an 80-mile range on a single charge.
“Until now, the drawbacks associated with owning electric vehicles meant they have been reserved for the most committed environmentalists,” said e-motive managing director Paul Williams.
“But the reliability, rideability and all-round consumer package that comes with these scooters finally makes owning and running a zero-emissions vehicle affordable, supremely practical and desirable.”
The models can hit top speeds of up to 65 mph and can travel for around 80 miles on a single charge.
Living with an electric scooter
There is no doubt that electric scooters offer a quieter and cleaner alternative to their petrol-powered counterparts, but do the money-saving claims stand up to scrutiny?
A £3999 electric scooter offers a performance comparable to a petrol-powered bike costing £2500. The electric version may cost only one penny a mile to run and less to maintain, but the extra money they cost to buy in the first place will pay for 26,000 miles (or six-and-a-half years of average mileage motoring) on a 80mpg petrol-powered bike.
ETA staffers recently test rode an electric scooter over the course of a weekend. Despite its heavy weight the bike did not intimidate even those who were new to scootering. Existing motorcyclists found the scooter’s suspension leaden and its performance limp, but these complaints may not apply to most people. Everyone enjoyed its silent running.
Overall, these machines are easy-to-live-with and make a good potential replacement for a second car or an ideal occasional green alternative for cycle commuters.
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