The 7 Best Electric Scooters: From Prototypes to Production Models

Oh man, I want a Vectrix!!

I would love a Vectrix as well. But for that price I would want it to have lithium ion batteries. That would make the bike lighter and would almost double the mileage.

This is just so crazy TreeHugger would post a story about this when yesterday I was searching for electric motorcycles.

Hey, that's my Emax picture! No worries. I gave it away years ago along with the rights, but you owe me half a mouthful of tea. :-)

Emax went bust, had the manufacturing bought up by Kasea, and is available again as Kasea. I believe someone is attempting to revive the Emax name with a newly designed scooter, but I don't know the status of it.

Z-20 finally made it after years of delays along with the R-20 sold by the same company.

I don't believe the the Ikoo is real. I know a lot of escooter people and no one I know has ever ridden one.

Other scooter models currently available: E-fun and Extreme scooters like the XM-2000.

The Volta, a Vectrix-class scooter, should be available soon. Prices should start around $8k.

Check out http://visforvoltage.org/ for much more about escooters, ebikes, and electric transportation in general.

Vectrix Electric Scooter with solar panel mods. Humm am i the only one who can dream?

It would look like a ground running tie fighter from star wars.

Unfortunately i think you have to have plates and tags for it in Indiana USA if they allow it on the roads at all. Since there is no fuel tax revenue from it.

Now lets see if they can mod it.

D~W

I just finished researching electric scooters over a 6 month period to decide which to buy. Sadly, I'll be waiting.

For instance, go to V is for Voltage and read about the scooter you are considering... Like this EVT post for the R20, which is the retro styled version of the Z20 identified as a"best" scooter. http://visforvoltage.org/blog/hubert/3306

To summarize, 15 of 21 broken in 3 months. All recalled by dealer, at his expense, because they were to dangerously unreliable, no support from manufacturer.

I was seriously considering 3 of the ones on that list and they were all fatally flawed. In particular, watch out for the battery life. All the ones I looked at used AGM batteries in series, but lack charge equalizers which drastically reduces their lives. You'll see all sorts of battery modification heroics in the V is for Voltage forums to correct this.

I think the best one on the list is Honda's electric scooter because they decided not to build them and waste all those resources.

Not to be a complete wet blanket, one of the Chinese manufacturers is present on the board under the name "mountain_chen". He appears to have a sincere interest in improving the designs and the patience of Job when dealing with customers.

Personally, I nearly decided to get a Vespa, but the noise annoys me as do the projected maintenance costs. So I'm going to wait until September, check what mountain_chen is turning out then and review my options then.

The Vectrix seems far and awya the best scooter in this post. I'd ride any of them tohelp save our beautiful world, or atleast help to preserve it for some time

I recently ordered one of these.

http://www.electricmotorsport.com/store/ems_electric_motorcycle_gpr-s.php

Does anyone know what kind of mileage The piaggio mp3 scooters get?

What about the Enertia? Only $2000 or so more than the Vectrix. It's an electric motorcycle rather than a moped, though.
I recently rode an electric moped at a green expo. What I liked about that one was that the battery could be taken out easily and taken upstairs to my apartment for recharging. Would that work for any of these?

Zap's vapour-ware?

You all need to take a look at China. I bought a scooter here about 4 months ago, It can go 45kph and has a range of 80km. Price?? ~330 USD...

It can be done... produce a cheap useful electric scooter for the US/European market...

We don't need ultra long range or high speed. All you need is something that can hit 35-40 kph and do 3 round trips to work so you only have to recharge twice a week.

That will take care of 90+ % of the average person's travel...

> what kind of mileage The piaggio mp3 scooters get?

http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/motoring/story/0,,2045930,00.html says 70mpg

Vectrix have shown an electric tilting three wheeler like the MP3:
http://www.gizmag.com/vectrix-electric-superbike/8395/picture/40173/

And there are stories about an electric or hybrid Piaggio:
http://www.infomotori.co.uk/a_ENG_20768_1.html
http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/hybrid-piaggio-mp3-for-7000/

I've no idea when or if there will be production versions though.

if they can only go that fast may I politely suggest you all just keep grinding it out on your bikes?!!?!?

@nuvi: Zap's vapour-ware?"

Nope. There are a bunch of Zapino riders over on visforvoltage. Many think it is best of breed of the cheaper electric scooters.

. @ Jesse ~>China. I bought a scooter here about 4 months ago, It can go 45kph and has a range of 80km. Price?? ~330 USD...

Hey ..That sounds great. I want one. Tell me how to find your supplier please.

Awesome, our whole company is thinking of getting electric scooters. This article should help with the research.

I bought an eGo electric bicycle at the Electric Cyclery in Laguna Beach CA seven months ago. It has been a great alternative to driving in Pasadena. My kids ride to school and I run errands on it.It looks like a very small moped but doesn't require a moped license, goes 25 miles on the flat up to 22 mph, takes on big hills with ease, charges on a regular computer cord and outlet, and uses a standard type battery that last 2 years. I think it was a great deal at $1400 new. For someone driving 5 miles each way to work each day, it would pay for itself in about a year. On town streets, I usually get door to door in about the same time as driving and it is a lot more fun and easier to park. It accelerates surprisingly fast on its 1.9 hp motor. The first thing I warn friends about when they want to try it out for a ride is not to hit the throttle too hard !

I've gotta get my hands on the Vetrix, although within a few years the electric car options will be sweet. Decisions... decisions...

I've been wanting an electric scooter that comes with a solar charging station when you buy it. I don't want to mess with buying separate pannels, inverters, etc. etc. and trying to gerry rig a charging system for the scooters battery. I would like a scooter/solar charger system all in one package so I can come home, park the scooter, and plug in the charger cable. Even better would be to buy two charging stations and set on up at work too. I don't expect to get 100% charge from solar on a regular basis, but would like to get at least some "juice" from the sun. Anything like this out there?

It seems like at these prices, speeds, and ranges, a number of the electric assist bikes you've covered belong in this list as well.

...battery will recharge to 80% in 1.5 hours...

I own that E-MAX you're showing - no way can it be recharged that quickly. After about 1500 - 2000 miles you need to give it a full 4hr charge, top it off for about 2 more hours to have enough "oomph" in the battery for another day or two of errands.

Still - it's the right thing to do, and loads of fun, too!!
The Vectrix is by far - extremely far- the best machine out there, yet it's got enormous tech challenges (growing pains- that is, if the company survives the first 3 years in business...)

Had the Vectrix not such a dismal rep (I traced it literally every day on Visforvoltage.org) I would be riding it by now.

And, by the way, loose that notion of "it'll pay for itself in xyz amount of time" - what car pays for itself??

A year pass for the Metro Gold Line pays for itself when exactly ?

Just get the stuff, the planet is the one thing to honor here.
If we all pull together, maybe we can avert the very worst - and still have a stable currency that buys us anything in about 2-3 years from now.

Does anyone have more information about/experience with the e-classic?
http://www.eclassic.nl/

It's priced at 1.999 euro here in Antwerp, Belgium
http://www.evstart.be/produkten/scooters/e-classic/index.html

I am the factory Rep here for Mountain Chen. I use Lithium batteries only.
Any body interested can contact me.

I am the factory Rep here for Mountain Chen. I use Lithium batteries only.
Any body interested can contact me.

Wal-Mart is selling electric scooters from Schuinn they run for a fraction of what the Ikoo cost and it has the same range and speed we purchase one to go from the house to the university where my wife teaches and it works pretty good. For about 300 dollars you cannot go wrong, and the retailer will give you your money back if it was not up to your standard. We got the 500cd series because of the bigger tires. I would recommend this method of transportation for more information go to their web site WWW.CurrieTech.com http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8467097

Thanks for the first adopter market, because they're all too much money, be-cause of the battery. Until high density "solid-state" li-ion batteries are put into production to replace the liquid gel state-of-the-art type like a123, EVs will be remain a hard sell vs equivalent internal combustion.

In light of the fact methane from cows are a worse greenhouse gas problem than vehicle exhaust, it gives the powers that be in control of energy r&d expenditures one more reason to postpone the mass production of the type of nanotech battery chemistries that would put internal combustion on the heap of history, and spell the death throws of the oil economy.

McCain's hollow promise of a $300 million bribe to the EV industry to help support the production of better batteries, is a weakly veiled scheme to sway EV fans into supporting his croonies and their mad plan to riddle the planet with nuclear power plants!

Out of the frying pan into the fire, to quote Sierra club president: "to support the nuclear renaissance, is like giving up smoking, and taking up crack!"

One scooter thats cheap here ( in the uk ) and seems pretty good is the Sakura s50 , it also has regen braking though the charging hours are longer.

I ride a Honda Rebel 250cc. I've changed the rear sprocket from 33 to 30 teeth. (better economy and speed on the highway). I run it with Mobil 1(greatly improves engine live and lasts 3 times as long..saving petroleum (recycle all my oil). I drive sensably and get 90 MPG. I think all small motorcycles are geared for zip and don't achieve the economy they are capable of. At 250cc it has all the power one needs to go 60mph for short stretches of the Ineterstate around the city, so I'm not limited to driving on all the back slow streets in all the stop and go traffic. I can carry two when needed and have a small removalable container for shopping. The small motorcycles and scooters of today are well engineered and will last if maintained and run responsibly. You won't have the cost of battery replacement in the future either. Wait for battery technology and engineering to catch up while riding proven technology.

Just have to echo Courtney-if I think of looking for something, I can be sure Treehugger has found it and researched it for me....then all the commenters will provide me with further detail. Thanks!

Yes very nice, but what about the ones you MISSED!!

www.boomrides.com showcases the Zero and others too.

Please come see the future of transportation there.

Environmental Solutions Development Manager, boomrides.com

If you are able to drive a 2 wheeled vehicle, why not get a real motorbike instead?

>> If you are able to drive a 2 wheeled vehicle, why not get a real motorbike instead?

Silly! Because (1) I won't be spewing CO2 into the atmosphere, (2) I can charge for free at my office, (3) I can charge overnight for free from my electric utility credit energy because our home solar panels generate far more energy than we consume, (4) no maintenance, (5) it's quiet, (6) it's a babe magnet, and (7) it's way cool!

To be truthful, I think I'm going to simply slap a 36-volt, brushless electric axle motor on one of my bikes and purchase a 37-volt, 10-amp lithium ion battery. My bike commute is 20 miles (36 km) and the electric motor would cut the 2-hour commute by about 30 minutes. I absolutely hate driving. I have almost 50,000 miles on my primary bike, mostly commuting. (I wouldn't put the electric kit on my primary bike.)

P.S. I used to have a Honda CB-125. I still have fond memories of that bike. And a Rebel is definitely a wonderful replacement for a 3,500 kilogram (that's 4 million pounds for you Bush-lickers in the U.S.) Ford Extinction. But's it's still pumping out the carbon!

It's awesome and simultaneously depressing. The most practical scooter runs just under 10 grand, and... given the size and top speed of it, odds are good that if there isn't legislation concerning electrics, there will be, and an operator will find themselves having to get a motorcycle license, as well as insurance and a plate.... more money to spend.

That's all beside the point. It bothers me that all of these, especially the Vectrix, are little more than toys for the elite.... the rich kids playing revolutionary, trying to do something better for the environment, yet for all the wrong reasons.

I'll stick to my gas-burning honda express in the appropriate months. It's 25 years old, gets excellent gas mileage when you take it easy (about 125mpg), and can be carried over the shoulder if need be. It's not the greatest thing for the environment, but it's better than most cars. Plus, it's a HONDA. Meaning that I won't have to fumble around and find parts for it because it was made by a Chinese companiy that might not exist after six months.

If Honda actually stepped up to the plate and came out with an electric rather than just a prototype, the whole industry would end up following the lead and these devices would become completely practical in the US. There would be a clearly laid out infrastructure to support it, and if you've ever needed a carburetor for an oddball motorcycle, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

The bottomline to all of this? If you want to be green, ride a bicycle above everything else. You can criticize my Express all day long against these electrics, but it's only used for trips that surpass 5 miles. Everything else is pedal powered.

I was thinking of buying a XM-3500Li, but have not been able to find any reviews of it by owners. No mention in this article or the 30+ comments. Has anyone out there bought or tested the XM-3500Li?

Love the Vectrix - Hate the price.

$10K for a scooter (maxi or not) is nuts. I'll wait for the lithium-ion version and a price point on or below $4K before I pull the trigger. If style and innovation cost then why use NiH?

ARE YOU LISTENING VECTRIX ?!?!?

I've recently review both the Vectrix scooter and the Honda Moped on my scooter site... I currently own a Yamaha Zuma, but I'd like to switch to something a little more eco-friendly. Love the mileage I get on the gas, though! Perfect for city living.

I'll be back to read more!

Chris

I feature electric vehicles on my website and I must say that the Vectrix is head and shoulders above the others. However, others are coming on the market that are a quarter of the price and should make electric scooters more popular. But I guess electric scooters will only really take off when you can stop at a facility and swap your dead battery for a fully charged one.

Gotta love the Vetrix, but the E-Max is pretty sweet, too... ahhhh, decisions... decisions...

I'm really interested to see how the big boy in this niche, Vectrix, will do. I test-drove a VX-1 recently and I was really impressed. At $10k it's awfully steep though - I'm hoping the price will come down a bit.

For those of you interested in electric bicycles, I recently posted a toplist of my own on my blog - the top 5 electric bicycles of 2008. Check it out and leave a comment if you like it.

The Italian Oxygen Lepton has been around since 2002. Straighforward, well designed, and trustworthy, Its in the moped category but seems to be past the technological/customer service/quality woes of newer bikes and is very reasonably priced (I paid about $2000). Oxygen is now focusing on commercial courier and delivery (now the Cargoscooter) but there's probably no reason an individual couldn't just go buy one. I have a 2002 and love it. Originally used SLA and NMH batteries but can use LiFePO4 now. Gets me pretty much anywhere I need to go without a fuss. It was worth the search to get one.

have been mostly dying, lying on the bed and trying to make it to bathroom, 23 hrs out of every 24 hrs of the last few years, rotting away in a sunless room that has become a living tomb. I need out. Maybe I can't climb any trees just yet, but I decided I don't want to be dust under them before I need to be either.

I must get outside to be redeemed, and I cannot stand and walk for more than 2 minutes now, if that. I can't carry anything. There's laser spinal surgery waiting on at least 2 of my 4 bad discs in Florida, if I can get the $15 grand cash, prepaid discount, plus $2 G's for the trip and the required medical escort for the week there and back home. There is this refinance deal we have been trying to get completed, but the horrible mess outside our house from the last 5 years of bringing mission goods home for the needy people, and construction leftovers to help rebuild our bathroom so I can use it like a human being, and making the interior able to accommodate an electric scooter; all these things that I could not lift and move around just got piled around the outside of the house, we're in the woods on a minifarm with a few dairy goats and we raise heritage breed turkeys. I cannot get around outside without some sort of motorized scooter, and the ones that can handle rough terrain, the house is built right onto the hillside and the barn is at the bottom, the driveway is 400 feet long and that NC gravelly clay that's like cement mostly til wet, but the rest is all pine needles, oak, hickory leaves and sticks on the ground. The heavy duty carts, 4 wheels with at least 6 inch by 13 inch all terrain tires, with upwards of 30 mile range on heavy duty 60 lb batteries....these things are costing nearly $4 thousand dollars. Until we can get our exterior pretty and neat again for a picture that the lending agent can give to the prospective lender, we cannot get the cashout on our refi, nor the refi, which would save us big time, eliminate a couple old loans that are nearly twice the rate what we are being offered, if we can ever get the yard cleared away. My daughter started college, she's honors student and studies all the time, plus takes care of her share of the livestock chores that my husband doesn't do....all these deals were my life before; the milking, the cheesemaking, the breadmaking, raising the kids, wrangling the turkeys, trying to make a home, but in the end, the arthritis and a congenital birth defect hip dysplasia, degenerative joint disease, all jumped on me, threw me to the floor and has been trying to kill me ever since. I was of course turned down by Disability after 7 yrs of hearings, filings, errors on the judges part, lost paperwork at Soc Sec, sometimes 13 months between actions by them. I was too depressed to do anything for myself and my husband just goes to work. I have decided not to die, people who are living on this planet with me now, and all the angels who come amongst us, and I am asking blindly for help. I need a heavy duty electric cart, I'd love for the thing to be hooked up to a solar charger; my passion, my dream, that my whole house would run on solar, but until I get outside, get around, get back to the physical therapist's machinery that was working for my muscles at one time, til I ran out of money. It always came down to not having any money, no income and me just being a terrible burden on my husband. So, I went without the medications, without the physical therapy, without the clothes, without the foods and supplements my diseases need to counteract the decay and dysfunction. Someone must have a 4 wheel scooter like that Wrangler with 15 inch tires and supposedly a hunger to "go" on hilllsides, like we have here. Someone must care that I am in desparate pain that only these spinal surgeries can clear up, to get rid of the torn up spinal tissue, the bone spurs and herniated discs that are crushing my abdominal, my pelvic, my leg nerves. I only sleep every other day, when I just pass out for a few hrs in exhaustion from the pain, constant pain. The best pain med I have is total distraction, like playing Reversi, or watching gemstones swing around on the gemshows, showing us the colors of heaven, save one. Who's going to help me get to Florida with my mother for the surgeries? Who can help me get to the physical therapist that runs a $30-$50 a week tab for me, when I had it, or help me get outside again, on a capable scooter that doesn't soot up the skies and the ground air with carbon? I'm just asking. I also could use anyone's old wifi capable laptop, so I can reconnect with the world when I'm on that bed....all these things were going to be done with the refi cashout, but I don't know if I will last that long. The bloodwork is slipping out of control, the blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function, the adrenals are shot and my neck and face have blown up and turned hard like I'm frankenstein. I really didn't need to be looking like a monster on top of dying. I had stuff to offer this life, my life, this world, and now I don't know why I can't have this miracle to do that stuff with.

Looks like Vectrix could might have some competition coming its way. Sufat, apparently a major scooter manufacturer in Vietnam, has just announced plans to produce a new electric scooter that it says is capable of hitting speeds of 80 miles per hour. Acceleration is equally impressive, with the proposed electric scooter hitting 50 mph in under ten seconds.

The technology behind this supposed performance comes from a U.S. company called KLD Energy Technologies. With KLD Energy Technologies' new motor system, Sufat's electric scooters will offer drivers unparalleled performance.

The scooters will easily achieve speeds of 50 to 55 miles per hour, double those of traditional, electric motor scooters, and reach 0 to 50 miles per hour in less than ten seconds. As a transmissionless system, the two-wheeled vehicles will also have a reduced cost of ownership. Sufat plans to assemble 50,000 electric scooter in its first year of production, which is currently scheduled for early 2010.

whatever!the 80's had beter scooters!

Don't go for Erato / Mountain Chen bikes, terrible experience - too many problems to even begin describing them!