Vectrix Electric Scooter Arrives in US

At Scoot!, we have been talking about the Vectrix electric scooter for a couple of years. It's great to finally see it come to fruition with its release this week.

For those who ride scooters for their environmental benefits and low operating costs, the Vectrix is right up their alley. Its NiMH battery pack is said to last up to 10 years with an annual mileage of 5,000. It also has an on board charger that can plug into standard 110/220V outlets and charge in two hours. The bike retails for $11,000 which means the it will take quite some time to offset the price of gas. But, with it's peppy acceleration (0-50 in 6.8 seconds) and a range of 40-60 miles per charge it may prove to be fun enough to put way more than the estimated 5K on it each year.

Scoot! co-publisher Mike Zorn got a chance to ride a Vectrix in Italy at the Milan show and was impressed. We look forward to giving it a thorough review in an upcoming issue.

Upcoming Vectrix events and appearances include:
July 28-29: Concours d’Elegance, Newport Mansions in Newport, R.I.
August 9: Vectrix Test Ride Event with British Motor Car Distributors LTD (BMC) in San Francisco.
August 11-12: Vectrix Test Ride Event with The Green Car Company in Seattle.
August 18: Vectrix Store Grand Opening in Newport, R.I.
August 25: 35th Annual Electric Car Rally & Show in Palo Alto, Calif.
September 28-29: AltWheels Alternative Transportation & Energy Festival in Boston

Rock Your Scooter Trips

When I saw Lifepop's cool audio accessory bags for iPod and other MP3 players the first thing I thought was, "Cool! Perfect for scooter picnics and events!" The next thing I thought was, "How do I get one?" That being said I think these bags would be great for weekend scooter jaunts when you want some tunes at your destination, but you don't have a built-in stereo. They have several models which are both baggage and stereos at the same time.

The Groovemaster ($75)is a messenger bag with speakers and an MP3 player interface. It runs on 4 AA batteries. The Rocksteady Gym Bag ($130) is a bit steeper but a funky retro Adidas cool and comes in some flashy colors, but the black is my favorite.


The ChillOut ($50)is a combo cooler/AM&FM radio with aux hookups. This would be perfect for strapping to a rear rack/carrier and taking to the beach or park.

The auxiliary jacks for these bags work with iPods, Zunes and even PSP systems. So go forth and rock your scoot!

Is it a scooter?

This week Californian company RideVehicles demonstrated their zero-emission personal transportation vehicles to a delegation of Canadian business leaders at an event geared at furthering trade with Canada. Above, Governor Schwarzenegger checks out one of the models.

The Ride vehicles are three-wheeled electric vehicles that are positioned for business use. The Blue-Ride is geared towards police and security use, while the Mail-Ride is for postal employees, the Base-Ride is for military bases and he Work-Ride is for private business use. All models are made to help individuals easily cover large areas which is definitely a concern for mail carriers and foot patrol police. You've probably heard of how some large factories use bicycles for workers to get quickly from one area to another. Some would argue that the bicycle is the better choice or health reasons, but there are probably several instances where this electric vehicle has some advantages over the bike.

But, is it a scooter? In the popular vernacular it probably is, although Ride may choose to avoid that term. As far as Scoot! is concerned, it is in the realm of the Segway (to which it is compared) and the mobility scooter: similar but not enough to really cover it. Although it is an interesting development for alternative transportation.
You can find out more about these vehicles at the RideVehicles website.

Vectrix Scooter Looking for Financing

The manufacturer of the first electric maxi-scooter is looking to expand its capabilities by examining new financial options. According to the UK's Telegraph newspaper, "Vectrix, founded by inventor Andrew MacGowan, has appointed the investment bank to look at the best option for taking the business forward financially." Vectrix scooters are not yet available in the US, but are available in some European countries. For more information on the development of the Vectrix, check out their website.