What are electric scooters used for?
Do electric scooters have normal controls?
Do electric scooters make any noise, are they too quiet?
Are electric scooters road legal?
At what age can I ride an electric scooter on public roads in the UK?
Do I need a licence to ride an electric scooter on public roads in the UK?
Do electric scooters need road tax, registration documents, number plates and an MOT test in the UK?
Do I need insurance to ride an electric scooter in the UK; do I need to wear a helmet?
What range can I expect from a full charge?
What are the different battery types and which is best?
What is the expected life of the battery?
How long does it take to charge the battery?
How can I tell how much charge is left in the battery?
How much storage space is there?
What is included; is any assembly required?
What should I do if my electric scooter develops a fault?
What about servicing and routine maintenance?
Do you supply spare parts and accessories?
Got a question that’s not been answered here?
What is an electric scooter?
Electric scooters, mopeds and motorbikes are very similar to their petrol fuelled counterparts except that they are propelled by an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery, making them not only very cheap to run and maintain but also much kinder to the environment.
Aesthetically, electric scooters look identical to petrol scooters – the only obvious differences being the absence of an exhaust pipe, harmful emissions and noise! With a range of models to choose from in contemporary and retro designs and a choice of colours, our scooters are smart as well as practical.
In standard form our electric scooters are classed as mopeds or category L1e vehicles. Derestricted, they are classed as motorcycles or category L3e vehicles.
What are electric scooters used for?
Electric scooters are used for everything you’d use a conventional scooter or light motorcycle for. As a clean, green and enjoyable way to travel electric scooters offer a serious alternative to other forms of transport whether for commuting, domestic or leisure. They are also being used commercially for courier and delivery work; and even by local councils and the Police!
Do electric scooters have normal controls?
Yes, they are ridden in exactly the same way as petrol scooters using the same controls. With a twist & go throttle, dual-disk brakes operated by conventional brake levers plus standard lights and indicators. There are no gears to worry about – power is progressively controlled so the ride is similar to that of an automatic scooter. The instrument panel displays all the usual information including a ‘fuel gauge’ showing remaining battery charge.
Do electric scooters make any noise, are they too quiet?
Electric scooters are much quieter than petrol scooters although they are not completely silent and can be safely heard by other road users.
Are electric scooters road legal?
Yes, our electric scooters are fully road legal in the UK, the rest of Europe, Australia and the US. The list is growing so please contact us to check approval for your country if not listed here.
At what age can I ride an electric scooter on public roads in
the UK?
You can ride our standard electric scooters from age 16. You must be at least 17 years old to ride them if they have been derestricted.
Do I need a licence to ride an electric scooter on public roads
in the UK?
Yes. You must have a valid provisional or full driving licence covering mopeds or motorcycles to ride our electric scooters (which are classified as mopeds). If you already have a full licence covering cars you may be able to use it automatically as a licence for riding our electric scooters.
As with all mopeds and motorcycles you may need to complete a compulsory basic training course (CBT) to validate your licence before you can ride on the road.
- If you obtained your full driving licence before 1 February 2001 you do not need to complete CBT.
- If you obtained your full driving licence on or after 1 February 2001 then CBT is required after which you can ride without L plates.
- If you have a provisional moped licence then CBT is required and you must display L plates until you qualify for a full licence – provisional entitlement with CBT is valid for two years after which CBT must be retaken.
CBT can be completed in one day and costs around £70. More information about Driver Vehicle Licensing including CBT can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring.
Do electric scooters need road tax, registration documents,
number plates and an MOT test in the UK?
Electric scooters are exempt from vehicle tax but must still display a tax disc – this is issued free of charge and will need to be renewed each year.
Like all road vehicles, electric scooters must be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and display number plates.
Every vehicle in the UK that is more than three years old needs an MOT test and electric scooters are no exception. This will cover all the standard tests for a motorcycle.
Do I need insurance to ride an electric scooter in the UK; do I need to wear a helmet?
As with all vehicles you must have motor insurance before you can ride your electric scooter in a public place. Many motor insurance companies provide cover for electric scooters. Try www.mceinsurance.com where annual premiums typically range between £100 – £200.
A helmet must be worn when riding electric scooters.
How fast will it go?
Derestricted, our electric scooters have a maximum speed of 67kph (42mph). In their standard form the maximum speed is 48kph (30mph) – the same as all 50cc petrol scooters and mopeds.
What are the running costs?
The cost of mains electricity to fully charge the battery is around 10 – 15 pence. Compared with the equivalent cost for petrol this equates to around 550km per litre of fuel or over 1,500 mpg.
Other than this there are no other significant running costs. You should carry out routine maintenance and servicing as you would with any scooter or motorcycle although with no complicated engine, fuel system, exhaust or transmission this will be mainly restricted to checking consumables such as brakes and tyres.
What range can I expect from a full charge?
Our long range Lithium Phosphate battery powered scooters offer a maximum range of 80km (50 miles)
In practice, battery range also depends on a number of environmental factors such as temperature, weight and terrain as well as the condition of the battery itself.
What are the different battery types and which is best?
Rapid advancements in battery technology have resulted in the availability of several different types of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles. For optimum performance our scooters are offered with the latest Lithium Phosphate
batteries.
The Lithium Phosphate Battery is latest lightweight high power rechargeable battery option for LEV’s (light electric vehicles). It is possible to produce a single Li-Phos cell of up to 200Ah – a major advantage for electric vehicles.
The main features of the latest Lithium Phosphate battery are:
- Lightweight (1/3rd the weight of Lead Acid batteries)
- High current discharge performance
- The best current discharge performance – great for hills, hill starts and endurance
- High performance – capacity of >170mah/g
- Extremely safe and stable
- Non-explosive – Will not ignite under collision conditions
- High thermal stability – up to 500C
- Extraordinary long life cycle life of around 5-7 years or >2000 full recycles
- Rapid recharging capability – from half an hour safely, with appropriate charger
- Capable of producing a charge from flat to 90% capacity in less than 2 hours using the optional dual fast charge option.
- High DoD (Depth of Discharge) can be fully discharged safely with no detrimental performance affect
- No memory effect
- Environmentally friendly – Non-toxic, non-contaminating, easy disposal,
100% recyclable - Wide working temperature -45° to +70°
- Flexible form factor
No other rechargeable battery is as flexible, safe and high performing as the Lithium Phosphate battery.
What is the expected life of the battery?
Battery life is measured in the number of complete charge>discharge cycles and is dependent on treatment – observing manufacturer’s recommended charging and storage practices will ensure optimum battery life.
Our Lithium Phosphate batteries have a life in excess of 2000 cycles (an astonishing 55,000 miles).
As with all rechargeable batteries, optimum depth of discharge is reached after a number of complete charge>discharge cycles; battery life will also degrade with age. You can order replacement or additional spare batteries directly from us by emailing us using the details on the Contact page with your requirements.
How long does it take to charge the battery?
Both our Silicon and Lithium Phosphate batteries take around 6 to 8 hours to fully charge; with part-charging from ½ an hour proportional to the full-charge time. 90% charge capacity can be achieved in less than 2 hours using the dual fast charge option with a full charge from flat in around 2½ hours (not available on all models – please check individual specifications).
Once the battery is fully charged the digital battery charger will automatically go into ‘trickle charge’ mode to protect the battery from overcharging.
How can I tell how much charge is left in the battery?
A charge indicator on the display console provides a ‘fuel gauge’ view of the remaining battery charge.
How much storage space is there?
All our electric scooters have an under seat helmet storage compartment and some also have a lockable glove box. In additional, we can supply an optional secure back box.
What is included; is any assembly required?
Your electric scooter will arrive fully assembled (with just the mirrors to attach). It will be supplied with your chosen battery pack, battery charger, toolkit, and full documentation plus any options you have selected as well as the Lexola on-the-road package comprising V5c registration Certificate, Tax disk, and Number Plate (does not include a pre-delivery inspection). Note that the V5c registration Certificate will be sent to you separately – direct from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
What should I do if my electric scooter develops a fault?
All our new electric scooters are supplied with a full 24 months warranty against manufacturer’s defects. For product Warranty and Guarantee details please see our Terms and Conditions. If your electric scooter develops a fault please contact us immediately using the details on the Contact page.
After the warranty period we recommend that repairs and fitting of replacement parts is performed by a qualified repairer. In most cases your local scooter or motorcycle dealer/repairer will be able to advise you of their costs for performing this work or if you prefer to arrange a back-to-base repair simply email us using the details on the Contact page. with your requirements.
What about servicing and routine maintenance?
You should carry out standard maintenance as you would with a petrol scooter although with far fewer moving parts, the motor and other electronic components are virtually maintenance free. In most cases your local scooter or motorcycle dealer/repairer will be able to advise you of their costs for servicing the conventional parts of the scooter (e.g. tyres, brakes, wheels, suspension, etc).
The electronic components (e.g. battery, charger, motor, sensors and controller etc) are sealed units and therefore require no specialist servicing during their lifetime other than routine lubrication or cleaning as directed by the accompanying documentation.
Do you supply spare parts and accessories?
Yes, we can supply a full range of spare parts for our electric scooters including replacement batteries and chargers as well as a secure back-box – all with free UK mainland delivery. Just email us using the details on the Contact page with your requirements.
Got a question that’s not been answered here?
We’re always happy to hear from you and we’ll do our best to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours, simply email us using the details on the Contact page.