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The Ego Electric StreetScoota may have a silly name, but it's the first electric scooter in the UK to cost less than £1,000 -- five pence less anyway. On sale today, the two-wheeled marvel is road legal, has a top speed of 30mph and costs just eight pence to fully charge its on-board battery.
And if you compare it to other electric scooters -- the £7,000 Vectrix, for example -- then you've got yourself a bargain. The downside is that the StreetScoota only goes 30 to 40 miles on a full charge, so you can't go too far. With its low top speed the motorway won't be an option either.
According to the exclusive UK sellers, gadget-obsessed firebox.com, the scooter has the chance to revolutionise commuting in the UK. With congestion charging already in London and being talked about elsewhere, scooters are a good alternative, since they're exempt and in some places can use bus lanes and park for free. Giving up the car seems more attractive than ever -- especially with the Ego Electric's price tag being so low. There's no road tax for scooters either.
While the StreetScoota's electric engine is as nippy as a 50cc petrol equivalent, the fact that it needs charging for eight hours for a full battery could be a problem. If you can't recharge at work then make sure it's not more than 15 miles away so you can get home again to top up the battery. It'll also help if you have a garage as the battery charger isn't waterproof.
Made in China and imported over here, the StreetScoota isn't exactly the best green machine I've seen, but if you're thinking about giving up the car it may persuade you. And if you use a green energy supplier like Ecotricity then you're heading in the right direction.
22 June 2008 03:36pm
i like the look of this and am really keen to0 buy one as i have had a 50cc scooter for 2 years but just had it knicked and scrapped but i would really like tom see one in the flesh before i buy it does anybody know where i can see one
john
27 June 2008 09:44am
i,v been told they have some demo models at Castleton car sales in rochdale in there showroom tel no 01706 645739
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