Are electric mopeds reliable?

09 Apr.,2024

 

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The Basics: Understanding Electric Mopeds and Traditional Scooters

Electric Mopeds: An electric moped is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by an electric motor and a rechargeable battery, they follow a moped-style similar to the shape of a Vespa. They are lightweight, easy to manoeuvre, and produce zero emissions during operation.

50cc equivalent Electric mopeds have a top speed of around 28 mph (45 km/h) and a range of 30-60 miles (50-100 km) per charge, depending on the model.

125cc equivalent Electric mopeds typically have a top speed of around 60 mph and a range of 40-60 miles per charge, depending on the model.

Traditional Scooters: Traditional scooters, on the other hand, are powered by internal combustion engines that run on gasoline. They are similar in size and appearance to electric mopeds but produce emissions and require more maintenance due to their fuel-based engines. Traditional scooters typically have a top speed of 30-50 mph (50-80 km/h) and can cover longer distances before refuelling, depending on the model and fuel efficiency.

Efficiency and Performance: Comparing Electric Mopeds and Traditional Scooters

Acceleration and Top Speed:

While electric mopeds generally have a lower top speed compared to traditional scooters, their instant torque from the electric motor allows them to accelerate faster. This makes electric mopeds more suitable for city use, where quick acceleration is essential for navigating through traffic.

Range and Refueling:

Traditional scooters have the advantage when it comes to range, as they can cover longer distances before needing to refuel. However, electric mopeds offer the convenience of charging at home or at public charging stations, eliminating the need for trips to the gas station. Horwin and NIU e-mopeds charge off standard wall plugs, so you can charge them anywhere, like a coffee shop for example.

Maintenance:

Electric mopeds have fewer moving parts compared to traditional scooters, resulting in lower maintenance requirements. With no need for oil changes or tune-ups, electric mopeds are easier and more affordable to maintain in the long run.

Cost Comparison: Initial Investment and Ongoing Expenses

Initial Investment:

The initial cost of an electric moped can be higher than that of a traditional scooter, especially for high-end models. However, prices for electric mopeds have been decreasing, making them more affordable for a wider range of consumers.

In the UK bikes are sold with the OZEF grant applied which often reduces the cost by as much as £500.

Fuel Costs:

Electric mopeds are significantly more cost-effective when it comes to fuel. The cost of electricity for charging is generally much lower than the cost of gasoline, resulting in considerable savings over time.

Insurance and Registration:

Insurance and registration costs can vary depending on the specific model and location. In some cases, electric mopeds may be classified differently than traditional scooters, leading to differences in insurance rates and registration requirements. Be sure to research local regulations and insurance options before making your decision.

Environmental Impact: Emissions and Sustainability

Emissions:

One of the primary advantages of electric mopeds over traditional scooters is their zero-emission operation. By using electric power instead of gasoline, electric mopeds help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a cleaner and greener urban environment.

Sustainability:

The environmental benefits of electric mopeds extend beyond emissions. Electric mopeds can be charged using renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, further reducing their carbon footprint. Additionally, advancements in battery technology are leading to longer-lasting and more recyclable batteries, enhancing the sustainability of electric mopeds even further.

Making the Right Choice: Tips for City Commuters

  1. Assess Your Commute: Consider the distance, terrain, and traffic conditions of your daily commute. If your route involves frequent stops and starts, an electric moped’s quick acceleration may be more beneficial than a traditional scooter’s higher top speed.
  2. Evaluate Costs: Compare the initial investment and ongoing expenses of electric mopeds and traditional scooters, including fuel, maintenance, insurance, and registration costs. Remember to factor in potential savings from incentives or rebates for electric vehicles.
  3. Test Ride: Before making a decision, take both electric mopeds and traditional scooters for test rides. This will give you a better understanding of each vehicle’s handling, performance, and comfort.
  4. Check Local Regulations: Research local laws and regulations related to electric mopeds and traditional scooters, including licensing, registration, and insurance requirements. Make sure you are aware of any restrictions or incentives that may apply to your specific location.
  5. Consider Charging Infrastructure: Determine the availability of public charging stations in your area and evaluate whether you have access to a charging point at home or work. This will help you assess the practicality of owning an electric moped in your city.
  6. Factor in Environmental Impact: If reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to a cleaner urban environment is important to you, an electric moped may be the better choice due to its zero-emission operation and potential use of renewable energy sources for charging.

Electric vs Petrol Mopeds & Scooters – Costs

Most rough estimates put it at about 60p to charge a standard electric moped battery for a 50-mile range.

Even with petrol scooters achieving 90 – 120mpg, at £1.65 a litre a 50-mile journey would cost you over £4 to complete!

(£1.60 * 4.54 = £7.26 for 1 gallon, or £7.26 for 90 miles range, or 8p a mile)

Comparatively, to charge a NIU batteries which are around 2100Wh, will take 2.1kWh of energy to charge.

For the UK, the average price per kWh in 2022 is around 28p. To fill an electric battery is 28*2.1 = 59p, or under 1p a mile.

And if you’re commuting, you can recharge your electric moped at work for free!

Range Per Mile
£1.60 per Litre £7.26 per Gallon 90mpg £0.08 Petrol
28p per kWh 2100Wh 50 Miles £0.01 Electric

Electric vs Petrol Mopeds & Scooters – Costs

Most rough estimates put it at about 60p to charge a standard electric moped battery for a 50 mile range.

  • Even with petrol scooters achieving 90 – 120mpg, at £1.65 a litre a 50 mile journey would cost you over £4 to complete!

  • (£1.60 * 4.54 = £7.26 for 1 gallon, or £7.26 for 90 miles range, or 8p a mile)

  • Comparatively, to charge a NIU batteries which are around 2100Wh, will take 2.1kWh of energy to charge.

  • For the UK, the average price per kWh in 2022 is around 28p. To fill an electric battery is 28*2.1 = 59p, or under 1p a mile.

  • And if you’re commuting, you can recharge your electric moped at work for free! 

Range Per Mile £1.60 per Litre £7.26 per Gallon 90mpg £0.08 Petrol 28p per kWh 2100Wh 50 Miles £0.01 Electric

 

Conclusion:

When it comes to city commuting, both electric mopeds and traditional scooters have their pros and cons. Electric mopeds offer quick acceleration, lower maintenance and fuel costs, and significant environmental benefits, making them an increasingly popular choice for urban dwellers. Traditional scooters, on the other hand, may have higher top speeds and longer ranges, but come with higher fuel and maintenance costs, as well as emissions that contribute to pollution.

Ultimately, the right choice for you will depend on your specific needs, preferences, and priorities. By carefully considering the factors outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to make an informed decision that best suits your city commuting needs.

As cities become more crowded and traffic worsens by the year, the old ways of commuting have become increasingly unsustainable. So, is it worth buying yourself an electric scooter?

Whether it's the rising cost of gas, insurance, and the vehicles themselves, or just a desire to avoid the monotony of traffic jams, there are plenty of reasons you might have started looking elsewhere for your daily commute.

Public transport and personal electric vehicle options are increasing in popularity globally, and many cities have embraced the changes, offering tax breaks or other incentives to ditch the car.

For a few years now, ridesharing electric scooter and bike options have popped up all over the place, from Los Angeles to Lisbon.

Why are electric scooters becoming so popular

Lots of commuters have chosen to embrace these new ride-share models that reduce their carbon footprint, cut transportation costs and cut down significantly on their time spent out on the road.

Most electric scooters are easily portable and require little effort to operate, most models are pretty fast, and improving battery technology means even smaller batteries can boast a reasonable range.

There are many other benefits besides these, but questions remain for many who haven’t made up their mind:

  • Are electric scooters worth the cost of ownership

  • Can a scooter replace my car?
  • Is it better to buy a bike and are electric scooters a reliable form of transport?

Below, we will try our best to answer some of these questions and help you decide if an electric scooter is the right choice for you.

Electric scooter costs of ownership

Just before the pandemic, a study found that the average American spends about $2600 per year on their commute. Of course, these are ballpark figures and the true figure for you will vary hugely depending on the distance and the mode of transportation chosen.

As a starting point though, on average at least, the costs associated with commuting are very high, and if you've been looking for cost savings in this part of your life, you aren't alone.

The cost savings of owning a personal electric vehicle (electric scooter or e-bike) are enough on their own to be worth considering.

The second biggest reason why people are choosing to go down this road is because these options are much more eco-friendly, which is something we're made more and more aware of in our daily lives.

Electric scooters solve both of these problems, or at least positively impact them, but then why buy your own when there are so many ridesharing options about.

Pros and cons of electric scooter ridesharing

Ridesharing electric scooter options like Bird, Lime, and Bolt are popping up all over the place, in which you can just hop on and ride from a convenient location and pay only for the minutes or miles which you travel.

There are obvious benefits to using electric scooter rideshares, like the great price that they usually offer and the way you can check the charge of the batteries from afar with an app before committing to walking to it. There's also the lack of responsibility for maintenance, you'd never need to buy spare parts.

But like with all technology, it can let you down.

Sometimes the companies have been known to draw you in with an attractive price, but this will only apply to the first few rides. There have also been issues reported with popular scooters being damaged and not reported, nevermind the fact that you can't tell how modern the models are from afar.

While ridesharing can cut costs, it also introduces other problems—such as the ecological impact of thousands of broken bikes and scooters per year, and overfill on the streets when competing companies all flood their own models of scooters into the same city.

There are also the problems of reliability and access when thousands of commuters compete to use the same limited inventory of sharable electric scooters, often at a similar time of day.

The cost of using rideshares has also gone up in recent years, as fees and exorbitant overhead costs take their toll on rideshare companies. Some estimates place the yearly cost of riding shared bikes and scooters somewhere around a whopping $1600/year.

While this is still significantly less than the cost of driving, that same amount or less could be invested in an electric scooter that can last for years, especially if it’s a well-designed model.

Coming in at well under $1000, both the single and dual-motor versions of Unagi cost much less than most commuters will spend in just one year of ridesharing, which is a huge advantage to anybody, no matter their use for the electric scooter.

Unagi electric scooter subscription service

A further option here that deserves an honorable mention is the Unagi all-access scooter subscription service, which is sort of half-way between a rideshare and owning the vehicle outright. It's a great way to invest in having a vehicle full-time, without the initial cost.

How it works is the rider (you) gets to select and customize a top-tier Model One E500 electric scooter, which will then be delivered to your location of choice. The scheme can be opted into monthly or annually, with the scooter being picked up after your agreed time.

These scooters come with full insurance and are fully serviced before delivery, so there are no maintenance concerns to be worried about either. In the rare instance that something does happen, you'll be given an electric scooter in the meantime whilst yours is fixed up, so peace of mind is included in the price.

The benefits of owning an electric scooter

In this section we will do our best to explore the benefits of owning an electric scooter versus a car or bike, which are the most common modes of personal transport.

Will an electric scooter ever replace my car?

Owning an electric scooter is clearly a strong investment as a means of transportation, but the benefits of ownership go beyond the great value that they provide. Your electric scooter will likely cost below ten percent of what you would pay for a new car.

However, there are three areas that cars (electric or otherwise) do excel in for this comparison, which are range, comfort and top speed. The range is expected, a car just has much more space for energy storage. As for comfort, a car will protect you from the elements, although it is at the expense of sitting down for long periods of time.

Range is the main reason why an electric scooter might not work for you over a car, as the vast majority of personal electric vehicles can't really compete. For example, a mid-to-high end electric scooter option like Unagi, has a range of up to 15.5 miles on a single charge.

At the top-end, some scooters have ranges of around 60 miles, but these aren't commuter scooters, and that's the point. For the most part, 15.5 miles is more than enough capacity for most daily urban commutes, trips to the shops, excursions around town etc.

However, if your office location is in another zip code and your commute is some 20 miles each way, and more power to you if it is, maybe an electric scooter isn't the right choice for the range you require. Check out our more in-depth look at scooter ranges here.

So, it's really all down to your personal situation whether or not it suits to keep your car. If you opt for both, you’ll likely find yourself using the car significantly less, and naturally contributing far less to traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Not only that, but you’ll also eliminate the time and expense of parking if you rely primarily on an electric scooter for your commute. Whether you pay expensive monthly garage fees or daily meters, the cost of parking generally isn’t factored into yearly commuting estimates, meaning that you’ll be saving much more than just the cost of gas by opting for a scooter.

Electric scooters versus e bikes

As for whether to buy a bike or a scooter, you’ll first want to consider the fact that bikes—especially electric bikes—are heavy, cumbersome, and hard to store in compact spaces.

They are also far more likely to be stolen than portable, folding scooters, which you can take into class or to the office and store under your desk,—and in a closet or under the bed at home.

Biking is great exercise, but you don’t always want a workout on the way to work. A non-motorized bike can mean a sweaty summer commute and extra time for a shower and change of clothes once you get to where you’re going.

Some benefits that they both share is that the rules in most cities permit your e scooter to enter a bike lane, which can streamline your journey to work by skipping traffic jams. Bicycles generally offer more range because of a bigger battery, but the battery technology itself is largely the same.

Electric scooters don't suffer from flat tires nearly as much as bicycles because they are hard rubber and not pumped full of air with a vulnerable inner tube. Equally they don't need replacement brake pads as often, and don't have chains that can come off and are susceptible to the weather.

Electric scooters are compact and lightweight, which not only means an easy, hassle-free ride for short journeys, but also means it’s easy to carry an electric scooter on subway cars and buses. More than any other transportation option, electric scooters can solve “last mile” problems commuters encounter when they live a little too far from public transportation to walk comfortably.

Electric scooters offer the kind of flexibility in commuting that no other vehicle can, allowing riders to combine many different options for the most efficient routing through their city.

This level of flexibility makes electric scooters uniquely suited to the demands of our rapidly changing urban lifestyles. They offer maximum mobility with minimal cost and effort.

If you run into bad weather, an electric scooter can easily be folded up and tossed into an Uber or Lyft which the majority of electric bicycles cannot.

Are electric scooters reliable?

When it comes to reliability, you’ll find that an expertly crafted electric scooter will last several years with proper care and will require little to no maintenance. Another cost often left out of yearly commuting estimates is the significant expense of regular car maintenance and frequent repairs, which can be a huge drain on your monthly budget.

A single expensive car repair can easily overshadow the cost of a quality electric scooter like Unagi. In addition to all of these factors, the average scooter is a far more reliable vehicle than shared bikes and scooters, since shares are subject to heavy use and abuse on a daily basis.

With good charging practise, the lithium ion battery that powers your electric scooter will last for a very long time without losing charge or needing to be replaced. With current technological advances, you don't need to buy the best scooter on the market to get one with a very reliable and powerful battery.

By virtually every measure, owning and using an e scooter for daily commutes and short trips makes sound economic and environmental sense. Electric scooters take up little storage space, are fun and easy to ride, and can be carried easily on public transportation.

Unlike cars and bikes, which require routine maintenance, the only additional cost you’ll incur after the initial investment in a high-quality electric scooter like Unagi is the cost of a helmet or other safety gear.

Are electric scooters worth it?

We can certainly say that if you're planning to use it on a daily basis, electric scooters are worth the money, being both more economical in the short term and long term than a car.

When it comes to ridesharing electric scooters, these schemes can be really practical and cost-effective, but you are playing a bit of a game of lucky dip every time you reserve one, and they are not consistent enough to rely on, in terms of both being available in the right place and not being damaged in some way by a previous rider.

Comparing the use of an electric scooter to an electric bike, it's fair to say that whilst bikes have long range, a scooter offers more flexibility and convenience. Both of these options are eco friendly and arguably strong investments, though an electric bicycle will require more maintenance and generally start at a higher price point.

With its sleek, lightweight design, easy folding mechanism, and high-tech engineering, Unagi represents some of the best value on the market for an electric scooter. Whether you opt for the subscription service or to buy your own model outright, the price for quality and performance makes it a very appealing option.

Unagi offers 30-day, no-questions-asked returns so you can start riding and find out for yourself risk-free just how much you could save.

Daniel tests all the latest e-scooters and currently enjoys the Unagi Voyager as a daily driver for it's light weight, good range, and stylish look.

Are electric mopeds reliable?

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