Enter the Electric

My biggest problem with electric cars and bikes is that the range is appalling but things are changing fast in terms of the electric motorbike since I sometime ago I posted about the Vespa Elettrica and the BMW CEvolution, and now this…

The Harley Davidson LiveWire

Electrifying isn’t it

Okay let’s start at the baseline the Vespa Elettrica, it has the style but I am not convinced at the performance.

Max Range: 100km (oh and then there is 200km Hybrid version, the Vespa Elettrica X)
Power: 4kW
Top Speed: 45kph
Note: Should be available in South Africa 2019. Piaggio did produce the 3 wheeler in a hybrid form in 2010 but it was not successful. Will the Elettrica make a difference or will it be too expensive?

Govecs GO! S1.2

Max Range: 70km
Power: 3kW
Top Speed: 45kph
Note: A protagonist German brand that is making waves in Europe

Gogoro 2 Delight

Max Range: 109km
Power: 6.4kW
Top Speed: 88kph
Note: With the tons of Chinese scoots already here in South Africa, I am sure this Taiwanese will land shortly although I am not sure about the style

Honda PCX Electric

Max Range: ??km
Power: ??kW
Top Speed: 96kph
Note: Exports from Japan started 2018 but will South Africa be on the list

BMW C Evolution

Max Range: 160km
Power: 35kW
Top Speed: 128kph
Note: I’m praying that the C Evolution will come to South Africa as I want one, pretty please.

Johammer J1 200

Max Range: 200km
Power: 16kW
Top Speed: 120kph
Note: Very odd indeed 

And now to leave the scoots behind and move into the realm of the electric beasts. 

RMK E2

Max Range: 200-300km
Power: 50kW
Top Speed: 160kph
Note: Like the movie this Finnish version of the Tron speedster not my on any of my favourite lists

Energica Ego

Max Range: 149km
Power: 107kW
Top Speed:  240kph
Note: What all Vespa's dream of - the Italian electric gigolo.

Evoke Urban S

Max Range: 200km
Power: 19kW
Top Speed: 130kph
Note: The Chinese super electric contender

Zero SR

Max Range: 359km
Power: 52kW
Top Speed: 164kph
Note: The current king of the hill in terms of range

Lightning LS-218

Max Range: 160km
Power: 149kW
Top Speed: 350kph
Note: Performance of note as the Lightning is the fastest production electric bike

Victory Empulse TT

Max Range: 225km
Power: 40kW
Top Speed: 160kph
Note: The Hog Ruler contender

Lito Sora

Max Range: 193km
Power: ??kW
Top Speed: 193kph
Note: Café racer meets electric avenue

Harley Davidson Livewire

Max Range: 100km
Power: 55kW
Top Speed: 152kph
Note: Still to go on sale in the States but will be an interesting ride pity about the sound (see video above)

BMW C Evolution 2016

The big question will the BMW C Evolution electric scooter ever join its stable mates the BMW C600 Sport and the C650 GT here on the South African showroom floor in 2016?

When we think about BMW scooters, the first thing that comes to mind to the BMW C1, yes the one with the roof, which was introduced to the market in 2000 but didn’t sell very well. With so much safety features going for the C1, why did it fail? I personally know a Vespa rider who used to have a BMW C1 and sold it for the Vespa. He stated that it was underpowered, overweight, top heavy, and it was like a big sail in the wind which he had to constantly fight. A big plus is that they held their re-sale values well.

Ten years later BMW brought us the awesome BMW C600 Sport and the BMW C650 GT scooters but at a premium price over R100,000; too much of deterrent to everyday scooterists. So where would this electric scooter fit in? Certainly it will cheaper to run but will it be affordable to buy and maintain?

About the same time as the bigger BMW scooters were launched, BMW showed the world it C1 electrification concept, the BMW C1-E which later paved the way for the BMW C Evolution which is based on the C600 chassis.

With only a top speed of 120km/h and a range of 100 kilometres, the quiet BMW C Evolution is made for the urban commute but not the open road. With better battery technology, in the near future, hopefully the range will increase to allow it to be taken on the open roads. On the plus side, it takes only 3 hours to get the batteries fully charged up.

Electric scooters are the way forward with organic fuel costs sky rocketing, that even scooter riders are starting to feel the pinch.