Electric Mopeds

Last updated 2008.07.24

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We do not sell electric mopeds. We think they are a great form of environmentally-friendly transportation and endeavour to provide an unbiased source of information about them. With recent advances in battery technology, we think electric mopeds become a viable product segment as small, nimble commute machines that will be easy to find space for parking. However, it may be difficult for them to distinguish themselves from electric-assist bicycles at one end and electric motorcycles at the other. We do sell Soneil battery chargers, which are ideal as on-board chargers for electric mopeds as they are compact, lightweight, intelligent and affordable.

There is confusion regarding the term moped, especially with electric mopeds. Some companies have introduced units they call mopeds, which are actually small electric motor-scooters (perhaps because the term scooter has devolved from meaning a small motorcycle with a step-through body and enclosed mechanical area to the devices that are essentially large skateboards with a steering/control column). For our purposes, a moped is a machine that can be powered both by an electric motor ("mo") and using human power via pedals ("ped"), and is not enclosed. Further, it has to have a heavier styling (wider wheels and tires) than a bicycle, to distinguish them from electric bikes and electric-assist bicycles. Electric mopeds generally have a more powerful drive system and more battery on board than the electric-assist bicycles. Licensing, insurance and helmet regulations are stricter for mopeds than for bicycles in most jurisdictions. Like bicycles, they can be pedalled, and on some the power-assistance can be controlled as to whether it engages or not. (I know some jurisdictions licence small scooters without pedals as mopeds, but I can't help it if they don't understand the definition of the term – moPED. Try [dead link: http://www.moped2.org/mstates.htm] this site for more on regulations by jurisdiction.) Also like bicycles, mopeds tend to be relatively small and economical relative to cars, and take up less space.

Electric moped producers seem relatively rare, but still appear and disappear more frequently than the producers of larger vehicles, probably because start-up costs are relatively low, but market penetration is difficult, especially in North America for such vehicles. Therefore, this page will probably be continuously out of date, no matter how often I update it. Any additions, corrections and contributions are always welcome.

Electric Mopeds

The Electro-Ped was produced by General Engines in the U.S. in the late 1970's and early 1980's. It used a 24-volt drive system. An Electro-Ped in the EV Album.

A Honda City Express Moped was converted to electric power using a Lynch motor. However, the pedals were removed, making it essentially an electric motor-scooter type motorcycle. Image

Norsjo Norjso Mekaniska AB has produced an electric moped since 1992. It is a three-wheeler, cargo-carrier called the Packy Electric or Packy Electronic.

[Link has bit-rotted: http://www.evworld.com/archives/testdrives/revi.html] REVI produced an electric moped in the U.S. in the mid-1990's.

The Solo moped was produced in Germany in the 1970s.

As of 2004 there are several Chinese companies producing electric mopeds for export. These are typically labeled electric bicycles, and one has to be careful to pick a model that actually has pedals capable of use for propulsion. The line from [dead link: http://www.hsddc.com/english/product.htm] Wuxi Haoshun is typical. In the extensive product listing on this page, there are only two units that have operable pedals, the TDP68Z electric moped pedicab and the TDP63Z electric moped.

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