There was a time when electric vehicles of all kinds were laughed at. There did not seem to be a breakthrough on the horizon when it came to price, battery technology and speed. But with the recent launch of the Ego Electric Scoota, things are changing fast.
When Sir Clive Sinclair launched his C5 electric vehicle in 1985 he was, in many ways, ahead of the game. The design, however, was not good. Never before have so many cartoonists gone to town on one subject. It was ridiculed like no other vehicle before or since. And, to be fair, it looked awful.
Little did he know that it would be over twenty years before electric vehicles would be taken seriously. It’s only now that battery technology has progressed far enough.
The electric car that can rival its petrol counterpart has yet to be invented. Manufacturers are fast developing hybrids that use both petrol and electricity. But we’re a long way from producing purely electric cars that aren’t looked down on.
But if you look at scooters the game is already on. Electric scooters have rivalled their 50cc petrol-driven cousins for a couple of years. But only recently has the price come down.
In the U.K. the ‘Ego Electric Scoota’ went on sale in September. Like traditional 50cc scooters, its speed is capped at 30 m.p.h. which means you can ride it with a normal driving licence. It’s very light and can accelerate at the same rate as a normal scooter.
The cost of running the machine actually beats the already very economical petrol scooter. A traditional petrol scooter has an economy rate of about 90 m.p.g. With current fuel prices in the U.K. that gallon will cost £4.96. For the same 90 mile journey, the electric scooter will cost less than 20p. Admittedly the Ego needs to be recharged every 40 miles but, for commuting about town, that’s more than enough mileage. And there are no carbon emissions.
What has really made the difference, is the price of buying one. Previously, electric scooters were around £3000. The Ego costs £999.95 to buy, which is still three hundred pounds more than a half-decent petrol scooter. But at 0.25p per mile it won’t be long before you’re recouping your money.
The electric scooter has finally turned the corner. At last it may be cheaper to go green with no loss in performance.
Allan Hardy has an entertaining blog featuring news and reviews of the latest electric bikes, scooters and cars. It’s athttp://electric-bikes-scooters-cars.com
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