Buying electric vehicles and electric scooters

Buying an electric scooter or electric bike to run errands or commute to work is practical and limits the use of a car.

Electric scooters are not toys and electric bikes allow riders to use pedals or switch to a motor.

The scooters and bikes are part of an emerging industry called light electric vehicles with an international association helping to set standards.

Operating them gives users certain advantages over using a car for transportation all the time:

• Parking is easy
• Electric scooters are street legal, but they don’t need registration
• Drivers don’t need a license
• Maintenance is easy and low cost
• Vehicles usually have parts that are fixed locally with bicycle parts
• Gas isn’t needed of course
• A normal 4 to 6 hour charge is less than 25 cents

Many vehicles sell between $ 1,000 to $ 2,000 making them an affordable means of transportation.

Kevin S of eGo vehicles said college professors are loyal users. He also said they work well in towns and cities. However, farmers and ranchers are beginning to use light electric vehicles because they’re easy to maneuver, accelerate rapidly and they don’t scare horses or other livestock.

I test drove an eGo Cycle 2 LX and I was surprised that it was almost completely noise free.

eGo is a 7-year-old company now operating out of Nashville. They sell their vehicles through dealerships ranging between $ 1,500 to $ 2,300.

Electric vehicles are able to keep up with surface street traffic.

The owner of e-Powered Vehicles in Pasadena, California, Mike Zellner said Pasadena is a great city to use them since it is a “self-contained city.” Major grocery stores and malls are usually 2-3 miles within most neighborhoods.

There are a variety of major brands:

e-Power Vehicles carries a variety of brands:

• eGo Cycles

• Hebb

• Pedego

• eCruizer

• izips

• Nogas