[Richard230]

Since Vespa hasn't done it, this company has.  It is slow and doesn't go very far. But I bet the Vespa crowd is not going to be happy when they see the design:  https://electricmotorcycles.news/emco-nova-r-2000/

This interested me as my first two-wheel riding experience was on a 1962 Vespa 125 that I bought new from the San Francisco dealer, Dave Golden, for $325 and sold a year later to buy a 1963 Lambretta 150 Ii, for $335 - a much better deal. 

[mrunderhill1975a]

This is a niche market, problably would make sense in Europe where people ride bikes, petrol is $15/gal, distances are short.  Not many places in USA where it would work, San Francisco..too many hills...only 2.7 hp, New York City.....too cold in winter....reduced battery life, Houston....commute too far to suburb.

[Guaire]

I didn't see a price tag.

[mrunderhill1975a]

The link below shows the price in Germany -- "from just 3799 euros".  Not sure what that is in merican money.....$5500 or there about.  I'm not sure if that price includes the girl eating strawberries while sitting on your lap.

http://www.emco-elektroroller.de/en/emco-electric-scooters/retro-line/nova-r2000.html

[Guaire]

The euro was worth about 1.05 dollars last year.

[Richard230]

The euro was worth about 1.05 dollars last year.

It is up to about $1.11 last time I checked.

[Otto_Ing]

It is up to about $1.11 last time I checked.

....going to go below 1 next year, i bet 1€. 

[ace.cafe]

One problem with these electric scooters with limited battery capacity is that the US laws require the headlight on all the time. That wastes a big amount of the battery capacity.

[Otto_Ing]

One problem with these electric scooters with limited battery capacity is that the US laws require the headlight on all the time. That wastes a big amount of the battery capacity.

Electric cars are much worse, air conditioning and heating in winter consume in some situations more than is needed to move the car forward. The LED headlight is a minor issue comperatively.

The electric vespa can work as a commuter in the city on a practical basis, on an economic basis I doubt so.

[mrunderhill1975a]

Ace is right on.  Electric sounds great, except when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat battery.  When batteries can run all day on a single charge, and it takes only 15 mins to recharge, come back and talk to me.

By the way, I saw some article on 'Super Capacitor" technology that is making rapid improvements.  The super-capacitor could be charged in 2 or 3 minutes, however the current technology in super-capacitors  cost about 10 times as much as a lead or lithium Ion battery.  If the cost comes down in the next 4 or 5 years, it could put Elon Musk's Lithium-Ion battery factory on the obsolete shelf with the steam engine.
Any electrical engineers out there care to comment?

[Otto_Ing]

The capacitors sound nice but just think about the amount of energy that would have to flow trough that wire in 2-3 minutes for a 500mile car charge. I'm lacking the imagination right now to figure how that power station could look like.

[ROVERMAN]

Vis a vis super capacitors, it is not "if" but when IMHO.