Peugeot mass produced the first electric scooter 15 years ago. Way back in 1996, the 40 km range of the Peugeot Scoot’Elec produced a chorus of yawns, but when the new E-Vivacity hits showrooms later this year; it will be greeted by an eco-friendly public. Emissions aside, its remarkably low cost of use will push this scoot’.
Though its 4kW engine is the equivalence of a frugal 50cc scooter, its running costs will be one tenth as it recharges from a domestic power point at regular tariffs. The Lithium Ion Cobalt battery has many advantages: it allows a minimum of 1,000 intensive charging/discharging cycles without any harm and without a memory effect, meaning it can cover over 40,000 km under normal usage. The Battery Management System monitors the charge and the temperature of the different elements, ensures the safety of the system, manages battery life and a full charge takes around four hours at a 230 V – 16 A domestic socket, using the bike’s on-board charger and charging cable, which reside beneath the seat.
While a complete charge on empty takes four hours, the first two hours recover 80% of total battery capacity, while the last two hours are used to level out the monoblocs. The sophistication of the electronic management helps to optimise the energy output and life of the batteries. The new E-Vivacity hits showrooms late this year, it will be entering into a far more ecologically-aware marketplace.
