Vectrix Electric Scooter Launching in November
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.24.06
After 10 years of designing, developing and testing its electric scooter, Vectrix is finally ready to unleash it on the world. The company has announced they'll launch the Electric Maxi-Scooter at the 64th International Motorcycle Exhibition in Milan in November. As we mentioned awhile back, the scooter accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds, tops out at 62 mph (100 km/h) and has a range of about 68 miles (110 km) at 25 mph (40 kph). The Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery pack recharges in about two hours and is designed for 1,700 cycles. 50 units have already been built in the New Bedford, MA facility that has a production capacity of 12,000 units per year; Vectrix plans to shift full-scale production to Wroclaw, Poland by the end of the year, where capacity is 38,000 units per year. We continue to wait for Vectrix to unveil the fuel cell version of the same scooter, whose range will be closer to 155 miles (250 km). ::Vectrix USA via ::Green Car Congress
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This is the Tesla of scooters.
An English magazine test says it's equivalent in performance to 400cc gasoline scooter. Well ridden, it would beat any car in traffic, even a Tesla. Roll the throttle back and it goes forward. Rolling the throttle forward activates the regenerative braking. The regular brakes don't have to be used much. Roll the throttle forward when your at a complete stop and it puts you into reverse for backing out of parking spaces.
Wow... that's friggin' fantastic. Another brilliant step in the right direction. If I wasn't already planning on getting Tesla's $45K or so next release I'd grab this one.
Groovy Green has a video and review of this bike over at their site: http://tinyurl.com/yalqz4
I had been waiting for this bike for years but given that the price for it seem to have moved up to ~11000US and a replacement battery is going to be around 3000US I don't see how it would be cheaper than a petrol bike any fuel saving would be lost in initial price and the cost of replacing the battery. the review here 'treehugger' say around 1700 recharges, the official site says 1500 and 10 years. My knowledge of NiMH batteries would be that half that would optomistic 700-800 recharges with drops in performance before that.
As I write this Nov 06 the official site hasen't had an update since Aug 06 and they would appear to be on the point of missing their third release date in three years "which is when I first heard about this bike"
I it is ever released it sounds like a good idea but to expensive for my tastend unfortunly they have taken so long the major bike makers who had been ignoring this type of tech 3-4 years ago now have pre-production electric and even hydrogen models about to be launched.
This is the Tesla of scooters.
You mean non-existent, ultra-hyped, and overpriced?
Update:
from an article on the vectrix UK page
http://www.vectrix.com/ContentResources/3/101575400/1/89_999%20magazine.pdf
I seems the cost of the battery will ~2000pounds which would be just shy of 4000US not 3000.
The Vectrix homepage (forum, had to dig a bit) now states a release date of March (europe) for the bike.
I won't be holding my breath
I'M RIDING MY OWN VECTRIX. QUITE EXPENSIVE IN THE BEGGINING, BUT VERY CHEAP TO RUN, AND IT PERFORMS SUPERB!! FOCOVERE ARROBA GMAIL DOT COM
The Suprbike is just a model of something that does not exist, at all. The idea for Vectrix was to see if the public liked the way the bike looked, and then they were going to try to manufacture it and sell it as a limited edition for $60,000. Again, this bike does not exist, it’s just a model. This was a project started by Carlo Diabigio, former Ducati Director, but Vectrix has since fired Carlo and replaced him with some person who is lost in this 2 wheel world. The Superbike won’t be built, and is another example how Vectrix loves to sell the HYPE, not the real thing!
Vectrix, is a joke of a company along with their bike. Truth: there 2 wheeler can only go a range of 30 to maybe 38 miles total! The bike weighs 525 lbs., and they are supposed to switch to Lithium batteries in 9 months, late 2008; so why waste you money now? $12,000 +, this is way too much for a scooter! Also, they have SEVERE software issues that give false readings for estimated range, after cruising along for 10 miles or so, it immediately drops down to zero miles range, and no battery left!!
You know why they have home delivery service? Because Vectrix bike wont go far enough to get to your home and they are afraid that it will break down on the way home, too!
The company is run by wanna be that do not understand the real world demands of electric. Their arrogant group back in Rhode Island are nothing but a bunch of former yachts men, playing with electrical toys they do not know how to manufacturer.
Oh, the Vectrix bike is made in Poland! Why not the good old USA??
Advice: stay away from Vectrix, they are selling the hype. The bike looks nice on the outside, but it doesn’t hold up in the real world!