A Cape town-based company, EWIZZ electric vehicles, is pushing electric powered scooters as the economic, environmentally friendly way of the future. They are selling a range of five electrically powered scooters which they claim cost R0.05 per kilometre for fuel and cut out many of the polluting components of a combustion engine vehicle such as petrol, gas and particulate emissions, oil, filters, radiators and spark plugs.
In a trip around the Cape Peninsula, a Volt 6 electric motorbike driven at 50 -60 km per hour with an 80 kg rider was tested at 155 km for one electric charge. Batteries are either lithium ion or lead acid and charge rates vary, with the fastest being the lithium ion battery. There are two types of charger, on board and external (15 amp wall socket). There are an increasing number of public charging points at shops, cafes and restaurants which are operated rather like WiFi hot spots. The establishments offer the recharge, free of cost, adding to the low cost of operation.
One of the scooters available is a delivery bike option which makes operating costs for a delivery service very attractive and low.
The company’s website at http://www.ewizz.co.za/ provides full details to enable prospective buyers to assess the benefits of the scooters. The company is also looking for new dealers around the country.