Journey to getting an electric moped (A1, A2 class)

Alfaguy

Just wondering OP if you ever did get an electric scooter/ moped / electrically propelled whatever. Your knowledge of these vehicles was impressive. I did consider a silence 001 but the fact that there are no dealers here put me off. I have just purchased a Lifan E3 which while it will have its uses popping around town its mainly just a new toy to play with. I have other powerful petrol motorbikes if I want to dash to Killarney real quick etc.

Is there a breaking in period for electric scooters / mopeds? I am hoping to get the Lifan derestricted but somebody mentioned you have to wait for the expiration of the break in period? I have a full whack motorcycle licence and was a Garda biker for years but I am still a bit worried about insurance for the Lifan as its still not approved even though the bike is now registered and I was supposed to collect it tomorrow.

boatyardboy

Hi all, can anyone confirm for me what license you need for Niu NGT...will a full AM Irish license do it?

Thanks

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118848000#Comment_118848000

A load of options on the site there so simply it's the ones with a top speed of 45km/hr, if they're limiting that you can be pretty sure the rest meets the requirements.

boatyardboy

So the scooter I'm looking at buying is the Niu NQI GT, the 75 Km/h one.

I have a full car licensse and the full AM part came with it..

So is the scooter covered under that AM part of the license ? or do I need to do a driving test for the A1 or A2 or whatever category the Niu NQI comes into...

Thanks all

Ryath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118848133#Comment_118848133

Bikes on AM license are limited to 45km so you'll need to get an A1 license to ride it.

boatyardboy

Ok...thanks very much

LeeroyJ.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118848133#Comment_118848133

As I've mentioned further up, i highly recommend you do not buy this scooter. There is no customer support, no dealerships, no garages. I've had this moped for roughly 4 years now and have been unable to get any major issues fixed (Battery, Motor, Software) your typical garage will do tires and smaller external repairs but anything more technical is not within their capabilities. I've just been dealing with the problems and will drive it until it breaks down essentially.

boatyardboy

Have elion gone ?

Is there nobody in Ireland selling these scooters....???

Thanks.

LeeroyJ.

Elion to my knowledge are basically just an importer and offer very limited post sales. Last time I checked they had gone pretty much out of business as well. They might still do one off imports. But that's just about it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118868511#Comment_118868511

fafy

There are still very limited options in terms of an Ireland based servicing/ backup organisation selling these.

Here are 3 models, i came across, of well known brands, with what might be considered stable and solid backup.

Seat have the “Mo”, which is basically the Spanish Company “Silence” model re badged, but it does have a half decent 137km range, and it says servicing carried out at Seat centres. Its a 125cc equivalent, re licence.

2 year warranty, 4 years on battery, but must be charged every month or battery warranty voided.

I have not seen official pricing though, but might be more than €7,500 here, as its £5,800 after grant in the UK, it has a Max speed is 95kmph, and Seat have good basic info here:

https://www.seat.ie/urban-mobility/mo/overview.html

The Mo has the same unique removable battery on wheels, (as the Silence)to suit those in appartments etc

Then there is the Vespa Electtrica, which is not even listed on the Vespa Ireland site, but its here on this Dublin website. There are two models a 45 & 70 kmph, both have range max of around 100kmph. Price is a hefty € 8,200, for the faster 70kmph, €7,795 for the 45 kmph.

https://megabikes.ie/catalogsearch/result/?q=Vespa+elettrica

Then there is the “coming soon” Yamaha “Neo’s”, a smaller less powerful model, which has a very small range of 37km, (7 hours +recharging time)can be almost doubled with 2nd battery but this eats up, most of the under seat storage space, and a TBC guide price of €4,444, it has the advantage of being AM licence, so people who have a car licence (B+AM) can drive it without further tests etc. Top speed is 44kmph to keep it in the lower licence category

https://global.yamaha-motor.com/news/2022/0311/neos.html

https://megabikes.ie/yamaha-neo-s-tbc

https://megabikes.ie/yamaha-neo-s-tbc

Varik

The big 4 Japanese companies announced a while ago they were going to use a standardized battery, and now it seems they're all going with Honda's current Mobile Power Pack e standard.

Honda and Yamaha are also part of another group with KTM and Piaggio (vespa) doing the same, and while it's sadly possible that we'd get 2 separate standards I'd say it's likely they'd be settling on Honda's again.

The Japanese 4 set up a new company this month to handle batteries and batteries as a service (drop yours off at charging station and pick up another).

I'd be careful of buying anything right now or you might get stuck on a proprietary standard that won't be supported soon.

fafy

I contacted Seat, and they confirmed the Mo 125 has not been released in Ireland yet.

Their website has a lot of detail on the Mo 125. and they had press announcements in recent months fanfaring its release, but is still not available, nor, is pricing confirmed either.