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Maxi scooter with electric drive in Rome

And once again no pig is looking

Trend-setting technology drives through the middle of Rome ?? and nobody looks. This could also be related to the fact that the Vectrix, a scooter with an electric motor, is so quiet that nobody can hear it.

Every beginning is difficult. It takes a while for the small group of journalists from all over the world to get moving. This is not due to the Vectrix electric scooter, for whose world premiere the US manufacturer of the same name has invited to Rome, but to the drivers. Because where there is no sound, the common motorcyclist won’t start. It is enough to turn the key and briefly pull on both brake levers to get the Vectrix ready to go ?? but without noise and vibrations.

Reluctantly because of the lack of background noise, the testers roll from the smooth marble parquet on the Piazza Colonna onto the road. Largely unnoticed by passers-by, because those who do not draw attention to themselves in Rome will simply be overlooked; that was already the case in Nero’s time. The little crowd glides silently through the thunderous traffic, and gradually it dawns on the suspicious motor journalists: The Vectrix is ​​actually fun. Previous electric scooters, on the other hand, presented themselves as lame crutches with the acceleration factor of a limping Roman snail ?? Fun factor: zero, zero, nada.

The Vectrix offers the performance data of a conventional 400 scooter. It accelerates from zero to 50 in 3.6 seconds, which puts it well ahead between the Pantheon and the Coliseum. Especially in areas that are closed to conventional vehicles, such as the Capitol with the Marc Aurel statue. A tourist almost got caught there who carelessly crossed the road ?? Silent locomotion also harbors dangers. Because the designers gave the whisper-quiet Vectrix the upright dress of a maxi scooter, motorists and pedestrians only notice it at second glance. Then, however, the aha effect is great, the testers are stopped and the Romans want to know everything about the electric scooter right away.

The manufacturer Vectrix carefully selected Rome as the starting point. Italy has the largest number of two-wheelers in Europe, around ten million, of which 600,000 are in Rome. But: You drive less and less, because smog alarms increasingly lead to driving bans, two-stroke engines have practically disappeared. The market opportunities for an electric city vehicle are nowhere better than here. Especially since the manufacturer doesn’t really let it go with the sound, but with the technology. The batteries last around two hours in city traffic and have no annoying memory effect, so they can only be partially charged without affecting their service life. After two hours on the socket, the Vectrix is ​​fully fit again; The city of Rome is currently setting up appropriate charging stations. The developers limited the top speed of the scooter to 100 km / h to prevent the batteries from discharging too quickly. That’s even enough for Italy’s city highways, which are limited to 90 km / h.

Technical data Vectrix

Motor: DC electric motor, peak power 20.2 kW (27 HP), continuous
7 kW (10 PS), maximum torque
65 Nm (continuously 22 Nm). Throttle twist grip with multifunction, acts as a brake when turning the knob with a simultaneous charging effect for the batteries. No pollutant emissions, minimal noise emissions.

Battery: Nickel metal hydride batteries (NiMH), 3.7 kWh, 125 V / 30 Ah, 1700 charging cycles possible, estimated service life: 10 years or 80,000 km. Range approx. 110 km at 40 km / h (correspondingly less at higher speeds), charger under the seat, charging time approx. Two hours (80 percent).

Chassis: aluminum frame, telescopic fork at the front, swing arm with two spring struts at the rear, disc brakes at the front and rear, tire size front 120 / 70-14, rear 140 / 60-13.

Performance
Top speed 100 km / h
Acceleration 0 – 80 km / h 6.8 sec

mass and weight
Dry weight 210 kg
Seat height 770 mm
Wheelbase 1525 mm

Two year guarantee

Price: Not yet fixed for Germany. In Italy there is a one-off financing model of 6300 euros, then 150 euros a month for four years, including insurance and customer service. The Italian state contributes up to 1,300 euros.

Info: www.vectrixusa.com

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