cost

[lrp]

Can you get the cost down to compete against the gas powered scooters?
I feel there is a need for this product, this state(MN) does not
require a motor cycle endorsment for cycles under 49cc, this town sold
a lot of scotters this past summer, i see a future in electric bikes
but I cannot compete with the price if I were to open a dealership.
$1800 vs 34??
thanks
LRP

[Scotter]

I don't believe their margins are thick enough to lower that price much.
Mainly, I believe it is the battery that costs so much. And the motors in
these bikes are pretty high tech and compact compared to most portable
gasoline engines.

It is heartening to know, however, that so many
[companies/universities/people] are pouring money/research into battery
technology! You will definitely see the price come down. But it won't be
realistic to any time soon expect electric-assist bikes to be close to the
price of gasoline powered bikes.

I hope you realize in some ways you are comparing apples & oranges.

My reasons for going electric instead of the cheaper gasoline-powered route:
(1) Removing my dependence on gasoline;
(2) Noise;
(3) Pollution; and
(4) Maintenance

If those four items above are not concerns of yours then gasoline-powered is
probably the way to go for you.

You get what you pay for. And yes, with battery technology in its [relative]
infancy, right now you pay a bit more...

Scotter
sc...@oceanmedia.net

[vic...@gvtc.com]

LRP- As Scotter says, the MAIN reasons for going electric are (1)
Removing my dependence on gasoline; (2)Noise; and (3) Pollution .
My roommate and I are both disabled, and receive SSD as our only
source of income. While $4,000 seems steep for a bike, if you
consider the amount of investment, on a daily basis, that goes into
maintaining and feeding a motor vehicle, it doesn't take long to see
the benefit of electric vehicles. I COULD go out and buy a car for my
same 4 grand, and then have all the attendant costs, from parking to
fuel, to deal with on a daily basis for as long as I owned the
vehicle. OR, I can buy an E+ for that 4 grand, invest in a solar
panel, and have a vehicle that has ZERO cost in upkeep. And that
completely ignores the benefits of zero emissions, silence, no parking
problems, ease of navigation during rush hour, Great exercise and a
healthy lifestyle, and the enjoyment of riding where you can actually
interact with the environment rather than watch it go by the window.
And then there's the sheer exuberance of riding the E+ as you speed
past other struggling bicyclists. I think the E+ is definitely WORTH
every penny (which is not to say that I won't be happy when the price
comes down, too). The value will only increase when the company makes
the lithium/ion batteries an option on the E+ next year. That will
make for an AWESOME vehicle. Scotter, I was able to stop by ALIEN
SCOOTERS in Austin over the weekend, and they DO have the E+ there,
both the cruiser and the mountain bike. Got to ride them, and I'm
SOLD on the MB. I tried some of the other available scooters as well,
and they JUST DON'T COMPARE. Thanks for the heads up about Alien
Scooters.
Victor

[Stephen Gatlin]

EMS: Please set up a presence in Philadelphia! The country is crying out!

Stephen Gatlin

[Vern Andrews]

Wow!!! A solar panel!!! I've never seen a bicycle with a solar
panel ... I've seen some fancy recumbants around town ...

I really enjoy riding because I can take in the scenery, with the
sounds, smells (I can even smell the flowers when my allergies are
not so bad!), watch the birds, sunrise, sunset, and even run into
people I know sometimes!

-- biking4Him

[Stephen Gatlin]

WOW!