E-motive: e1+ or Green motors: Brizzato S (2009- current): Electric homogeneity
This scooter is very similar with e-motive, model e1+Electric motor: The motor is purely electric, 3 KW, providing 11 Kgm of great torque. Rider will visit the petrol station just to check the tyres pressure. At the right handle bar there is a two modes switch, high and low. The electric motor is completely noiseless.
Start procedure: The switch is turned to On, nothing can be heard from the scooter, yet if rider rotates fast the right grip, the scooter has enough torque, to… run forward. Selecting the high mode, the scooter reaches instantly the speed of 10 Km/h, relatively fast the speed of 30 Km/h, adequately the 50 Km/h speed. After some time the top speed of 75 Km/h will be indicated.
Selecting low mode, acceleration is greatly smoothened. The speed of 20 Km/h is achieved fast, 30 Km/h adequately, 40 Km/h slowly, after some time the top speed of 42 Km/h will be indicated. Thus low mode may be selected at traffic congestion, on low speed filtering or whenever continuous manoeuvring of the bike is required.
The duration of the charge is 7 hours and a common house electric socket will be needed. A full charge range is between 70 Km operating at the low mode and 40 Km in the high mode, at top speed.
Performance is not affected by the amount of energy remaining in the battery pack. If remaining energy is getting low, motor operation is automatically switched to the low mode. Thus a 10 Kilometers range is left to the rider to charge the bike. There is a battery level indication at the display.
Riding position: The seat height is average for the category standards, every rider will step a firm foot on the ground. Dimensions are decreased, there will not be any problem even at traffic congestion. The weight of the scooter feels rather light, centre of gravity is low. This results to a light feeling bike for the rider. Riding position is neutral. Rider is placed in and over the bike. Really tall riders may get their feet touching the additional orange indicators projecting from the handle bar. These indicators could be subtracted , the indicators located on the handle bar will do the job.
On the road: The dimension for both wheels is 3.5-10 inches. The swollen looking rim of the rear wheel is the electric motor actually. Whenever brakes are applied, the motor is turned off.
Suspension feels rather soft. The scooter is equipped with a fork at the front and two shocks at the rear. The most characteristic element for the brizzatoĒs ride is agility, which is top class. Combined with the small physical dimensions of the scooter, makes a very effective bike for congested roads.
On flat high friction tarmac streets, riding quality is quite good. Turn in to the curve is fast, stability is good. Generally, feedback to the rider during the curve, is good, provided the size of the wheels.
On average roads, road imperfections will be felt, however this will not be an obstacle.
Steering lock is superb for the bikeĒs character and town use, that an electric scooter aims to. During filtering the handle bar height is often the same with that of car mirrors. Tyres donĒt provide sufficient grip on wet streets.
Disc brakes are used, front and rear, rubber brake lines are used. On high friction tarmac street the front will not be locked easily, as itĒs as powerful as it should be. On medium friction tarmac road, the front wheel may be locked easier, under control though.
The rear brake is powerful, on low friction streets the rear wheel may easily be locked. On high friction roads, the rear wheel can be locked relatively easily. The combination of front and rear brakes result to a very effective braking, especially on high friction streets.
Comments: The design of the scooter is between Italian and classic. Lights are activated by a switch. There is a button at the right grip which at the e-City model serves as an additional horn switch, at the brizzato model its useless. Under the seat there is storage space larger than an open helmet, e.g. a shopping bag. A full face helmet will not be accommodated. RiderĒs feet floor is flat. A hook for shopping bags, a side stand, outwards looking tyre valves, an open gloves compartment at the front and a luggage rack are included in the price.
Rides with the brizzato are homogeneous, characterised by agility. There isnĒt any riding element which cannot be matched with brizzato character, its an harmonically agile scooter. It will stand out of the crowd where electric scooters are needed most: At the centre of the city or wherever quietness and agility are a priority.
There are two versions on sale, S and L. Their differences are only in batteries used, however price, weight, performance, charging time required and charge range.
Compared with the e-City model a difference concerning the high-low operation was noticed.
The increase in petrol prices and environmental concerns, which result in environmental actions, makes electric vehicles a convincing answer to the modern manĒs quests. The guarantee for Green Motors is two years, 2000 cycles of battery charge.
Practically charge range was found even better than the advertised by the importer. Due to the electric motor there is no really need for servicing for many kilometers of use, while the cost of charge is much smaller than the required by a thermal engine. Estimated cost for charging, 0.36Ī/100Km.
Handling was evaluated as strictly as with all the other bikes reviewed by www.moto-choice.com, for two reasons. a) It would be unfair for conventional bikes manufacturers, b) In the future, electric vehiclesĒ sales portion will be increased. Road safety and handling will matter for future riders as well, even if their choices are among electric vehicles only.
The silence during the ride of an electric bike is nearly the most impressive element of the ride. Rider may hear everything that is happening on the road, except from the bike itself. From the hearing point of view, rider feels like a pedestrian …wearing helmet.
The quiet city rides make rider more relaxed. However caution is required for one extra reason: Pedestrians combine engine noise with the presence of a vehicle. If they cannot hear anything on a road, they may walk across, even without prior notice, away from a zebra crossing. Eventually caution of an electric bike rider for the pedestrians is more than desirable.
Price: 2250Ī
+ Great economy in running costs
+ Contribution to environmental protection
+ Agility
+ Homogeneous character
+ Price
- Quality built
- Increased caution to pedestrians is required, as with all electric vehicles
More, specifications, GR
Thanks to Green-Motors, Kalirois 74, Athens, Greece, tel. +302110153095 for the bike test.