UK electric scooter company e-motive has launched a pilot version of the Government’s car 'scrappage’ scheme.
e-motive’s '
Ride Green’ scheme will offer drivers £500 toward a new
e1 or
e3-motive electric scooter when they trade in a motorcycle or scooter, regardless of age or condition.
The Government’s car scrappage scheme, which ended last April, offered a £2,000 grant to scrap an old car in exchange for a new one. Primarily designed to give the recession-hit car industry a much-needed boost, the scheme successfully put lower emitting cars on the road.
How the 'Ride Green' scheme works
e-motive’s dealer, BVM-moto, is launching the Ride Green pilot programme in February and March, and if successful the scheme will be rolled out nationwide.
Buyers, who receive a rebate for their old scooter, have four options when buying a new one, ranging in price from £899 to £2,499 after the rebate. Customers can choose between scooters with either a Silicon or Lithium Ion battery, which come with warranties of 12 and 24 months, respectively. The batteries are estimated to last for 2,000 charges or about three years.
The scooters can run up to 70 miles without needing to be recharged, which takes about four hours for the lithium ion batteries, and six-10 hours for the silicon battery. Top speeds range between 28 miles per hour (mph) and 55 mph.
Additional benefits
Because there are no emissions, the scooters are free from both the fuel tax and the congestion charges.
"At around one penny per mile, an e-motive scooter is cheaper than taking the bus! It provides all the benefits of 'go when you like’ personal transport without the hassle, while also doing your bit for the environment," said Paul Williams, managing director of Koelliker UK, which imports e-motive.
"With petrol prices now nudging £1.30p/litre, and the cost of public transport and car parking on the rise, an increasing number of people are beginning to explore how they can travel more economically. Whether for commuting to work, shopping or just getting around and socialising, an electric scooter gets you there more cheaply; and with zero emissions, you’re not creating CO2 pollution and smelly exhaust fumes."
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