(Dave Steiner prepares to give this electric hottie a twist)
David Steiner
Philadelphia (Yardley), PA
6/12/2007
Wow! Got some good stuff here. Our Philly corespondent, David Steiner, has gone and brought us The Scoop on the test drive results of world’s first electric Maxi-Scooter from Vectrix. Here are the photos, first impressions and feelings on the Vectrix from an American’s point of view. Take it away Dave! (my comments will be lurking between parenthesis, like this).
On Wednesday I was honored to be one of the first stateside disciples of TheScooterScoop to “ride the revolution” – the Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter. The fine folks from VectrixUSA held a test drive event at a small airport outside of Philadelphia (isn’t that like the birthplace of electricity or something? How befitting!)Upon arriving at the location I was immediately greeted by VectrixUSA’s friendly, enthusiastic knowledgeable and organized staff, led by America’s Director of Marketing Jeff Morrill.
After showing my motorcycle license and signing an accident waiver, I was off to the races (so to speak, I’m sure.. They didn’t have any stop watches or umbrella girls, right?). Vectrix came well prepared. There were 3 demo maxi-scooters and driving instruction was brief, complete and one-on-one. A small yet functional closed-circuit course was setup for test drives. The oval course had two tight turns and was outlined with bales of hay (as to not reenact the terrible brickwall and barbedwire incident of the 1972 Sawyer Scooter test rides. Sawyer immediately slipped away from the test track, filed for bankruptcy and moved to Montana).
(Wow! I’m not positive what that is, but I’m betting it’s a flux capacitor.)
As I eyed the flowing lines of this finely machined beauty I was immediately drawn to the handsome driveshaft housing (seen above). A substantial electric drive mechanism was subliminally beckoning for me to ride her (Um… I thought we agreed this would be safe for work Dave. Did you get that email?). The power cord under the seat had a build quality reminiscent of the high-end ‘cables section’ of my quarterly high-end audio catalog. I found the fit and finish to be excellent as I excitedly approached this environmentally friendly chick magnet for a closer look (let it be known, this is only the second time that the four words “environmentally friendly” and “chick magnet” have been seen side-by-side… and no, Tesla didn’t beat us to it it was some guy on the 420 Lounge forum).Riders had two choices. One could ride alone with motorcycle license, or one of the Vectrix staff members would take you for a spin (while you rode
bitchon the back). As one of the lucky solo riders I was immediately struck by the obvious total absence of noise. The digital controls were nicely oriented and presented the two most important measures; speed and battery reserves. (This scooter will be the obvious choice for ninjas across the globe).Lap one had me gently rolling up the throttle and getting the feel for the handling. Having easily navigated the course I stepped-up the acceleration on lap 2. Lap 3 had me accelerating quickly and using the regenerative braking. A very impressive ride. Handling would be fine for a lightweight rider. The powerband was linear and the acceleration was strong. The motor whirred to life with a hypnotic whine. (Dave, didn’t I hear something about the regen braking working by actually twisting the throttle forward? Is that the case? How was that?)
(Director of Marketing Jeff Morrill with his bottle of high quality H2O)
After debriefing with Jeff (Hey! Remember “safe for work”?!), I left with the feeling that I had experienced the beginning of something big. The Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter is for real and I would seriously consider purchasing one. This technology effectively reduces the cost of ownership. Although the initial cost is higher than an equivalent gas maxi-scooter, the performance, convenience of no gas, reduced maintenance, lower insurance, and no trips to the dealer makes it a compelling proposition. With significantly fewer moving parts, the reliability should be another key selling point.And yes – the brake light does go on when you stop by using the “regenerative feature”!
Here’s the side-by-side:
Regular scooter:
Cost – $6,000;
Gas – 50,000 miles @ $3.00 per gallon (80 mpg) – $1,875;
Maintenance – Oil changes, tuneups, etc… – $2,000
Cost of time going back and forth to the dealer – $500
Total – $10,375Vectrix
Cost – $11,000;
Gas – 50,000 miles @ $.02 per mile – $1,000;
Maintenance – Oil changes, tuneups, filters, etc… – $0
Total – $12,000
(Eh, I’d say those numbers could use a bit-a-tweakin’, but I can see where it starts to balance out once I get past the sticker shock.)
Here is a video of Jeff from cnet.com. (D’oh! They were in Austin? Jeff?! Where’s the LOVE?!)
(Here’s the sign in booth just getting things started)
(and some specs to chew on while you wait your turn)
(ooOOOo! Schwaaaag… Did you get a shirt and a pen and a beer koozie?)
(Hands on the controls. Nice layout!)
(and here’s where you top-her-off. Dave, is that a standard outlet plug?)
(errrrrrooooown! Weeee! This is fun! Can I drive now?)
(the LED array is back here. She’s got a purdy look I’d say!)
(helmets weren’t optional were they? I see top-siders were passable as “safe foot wear”)
THANKS again for the report Dave! I’m glad you liked it. Let’s hope others do too so Vectrix has a fighting chance to change our paradigm. If you have some questions for Dave, post them in the comments here and who knows, he might just answer them!
13. June 2007 at 7:08 am
Hummm… the controls (and the overall shape) seem strangely reminiscent of the latest Yamaha Majesty 400. Would there be some secret conspiracy with Yamaha? :-)
13. June 2007 at 1:14 pm
SWEETTTT, wannawannawanna.
I think that the fact that I won’t have to spend time dealing with gas station attendants is more than enough to offset the $1,600 discrepancy.
13. June 2007 at 2:08 pm
Hrm… could be, Pedro. We’ll have to do a little investigative reporting.
Oh, David… Do you live in Oregon? Last time I was in Medford I was confused. “What? I can’t get out of my car? I have to give you my card? This is weird, where I come from a guy pumps his own gas”.
And they didn’t clean my windows or check my oil.
13. June 2007 at 9:40 pm
I think it looks much more like a Silver Wing overall. Especially when you account the rear spoiler and tail section. Also don’t overlook the similarity with the gauge cluster.
Other than that the bike still isn’t that impressive. The side by side cost comparison is bizzare. What $6k scooter gets 80mpg? What is the top speed of the Vectrix? How long will it ride on a charge? How long to recharge? How long does the battery last? How much is a replacement battery? Does the battery drain faster in colder climates? It will still need dealer maintenance for some things… brakes, tires and electrical work.
This is a cool idea but there are still too many unanswered questions.
Dan
14. June 2007 at 12:42 am
There’s where I have the problem: Top speed and length of charge. 60MPH for a maxiscooter? That’s not better performance! 60 miles for a charge doesn’t sound bad, but it goes way down if you ride at full-speed, which I would have to do. I live 45 miles from work, and it wouldn’t be easy to plug in there. I worked the numbers according to charging cycles, and the batteries would have to be replaced around 50,000 miles, approximately 3 years for me. No word on how much batteries would be, but probably $$$, if not $$$$.
14. June 2007 at 1:02 am
It is overpriced. A TOYOTA YARIS is the same price as this scooter — $11,150. It gets 34/40 mpg — and includes a radio, air conditioning, dual air bags, and seat belts. It is vastly safer, I am sure.
14. June 2007 at 2:33 am
Cool. I’m looking forward to trying this bad boy out myself.
14. June 2007 at 3:13 am
The thing I like about motorcycles is the feeling of a secure position and balance of leg-over and a grip with your legs. What gives me pause about scooters is the seating position that I feel would more likely bounce your butt off if you hit a mildly serious pothole-and I don’t like the girl’s bike sense of the step-thru. So why waste that space-use it for more batteries or storage or whatever. Does it necessarily have to look more like a scooter than a motorcycle just because its a scooter?
14. June 2007 at 3:35 am
re: gonna bounce right off the thing…
1) scooters are city bikes. You don’t ride them off-road.
2) ask a fellow from india when was the last time they bounced off a scooter. They have plenty of potholes.. It doesn’t happen.
not to worry
14. June 2007 at 2:19 pm
The side by side comparison will not be realistic unless you account for the cost of replacement batteries. This is something that shocks every hybrid car owner. Will Vectrix seek a buyer tax credit with the IRS?
14. June 2007 at 3:41 pm
People see value according to their preference. I could NEVER tolerate $100 fill ups at the gas station, but people who love their trucks accepted it as part of their costs.
Batteries can be expensive, but as a 6+ years hybrid owner, I’m so happy with the vehicle that I don’t mind paying for a battery another 4-6 years down the line.
There is certainly great value in an all-electric vehicle, and I think those who are critical are ones who are not ready to migrate toward an alternative. This isn’t a product for EVERYONE, but it is significant because it is available to anyone who DO want one.
Good job, Vectrix.
20. June 2007 at 10:11 am
Cool nice machine….
Vectrix guys need to look at entering Indian market also. What we have here is a puny stuff ranging from $300 to $750.
Comparitively, in India, we have a four-wheeler, Reva, which could stand a real competition for Vectrix; bike versus car that is ranged around $10,000.
25. February 2008 at 4:13 am
I am going to sell electric scooters with top speed of 60MPH with regen brake. The bike has 3500w motor and Lithium power. If anyone interested I am selling the first batch of perordered bikes for $3495.00. Price will be going up somewhat on later orders. You can buy 3 for the same price as a Vectrix. Cheers, phil_randall@verizon.net
27. May 2008 at 11:29 am
People pay 16K for a Harley. Riding a scooter or motorcyle is not about practicality. It’s a fun way to get around.
I never cared about cost for the motorcyles I have had. The Vector looks like its fun to drive. I would definitely but one when it comes to my area.