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It goes by many different names: the urban motorcycle, the two-wheeled personal EV, the electric moped or motorbike. However it’s described, it’s a vehicle whose time has come. They’ve long been a dominant presence in Chinese cities thanks to generous state subsidies and bans on petrol vehicles but in the west their take-up has been comparatively slow mainly because of “range anxiety”. However, as battery technology improves and innovation gathers pace, cleverly designed bikes are appearing on the market. They still might not be the best choice for heading up mountains or moving between cities, but the appeal of these near-silent, nippy, eco-friendly vehicles is extending well beyond the biker fraternity.
Royal Enfield Flying Flea C6
Royal Enfield Flying Flea C6
Price: from £6,000
The original Royal Enfield WD/RE – or Flying Flea – was commissioned in the 1940s by the British War Office as an all-terrain bike that could be dropped by parachute. Post-war, thousands ended up being used for urban commutes and this all-electric redesign sees it return to the city streets. Visually, it’s faithful to the original, including Royal Enfield’s uniquely styled girder fork and a teardrop tank in which you’ll now find a wireless phone charger. Its touchscreen interface, which works in the rain and while wearing gloves, can be used to select ride mode, plan routes and check range estimation. Charging is onboard – just plug in and power up – and there’s an optional removable pillion for two-seater riding.
Zapp i300
© Ansho_NL
Zapp i300
Price: From £5,495
British-made, the i300 is a step-through, scooter-style EV that can be ridden in the UK with a CBT or A1 licence. It scores highly for both flexibility and speed of charging; its two removable batteries (6kg each) can be run separately (charge one while you’re using the other) and when using a fast charger you can top them up from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in only 40 minutes. The trade-off: together they’ll give you an official range of just 26 miles, although you may squeeze a little more out of them depending on the circumstances. That’s still more than enough for the majority of city commutes, however – and there’s room for a passenger, too.
Infinite Machine P1
Infinite Machine P1
Price: €6,700
Already launched in the US, the P1 has now been homologated as an L3e vehicle (equivalent to a 125cc) across Europe. The founders, inspired by Vespa’s rapid rise in the 1960s as a kind of “anti-motorcycle”, created a futuristic form using anodised aluminium panels, a powder-coated steel chassis and a bright running light. Its 3.2kWh battery gives around 100km of range and a top speed of 105kmph. It comes with theft prevention and ABS features built in, and runs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; more practically, it has a bag hook, helmet lock and mounting points to attach cases to the sides (or a rack to the back).
Verge TS Pro
Verge TS Pro
Price: £31,980
Verge’s “Donut Motor” completely reimagines the architecture of the motorbike. The motor sits inside the rim, directly driving the rear wheel. No gearbox, no driveshaft, no chain, freeing up room for, among other things, larger batteries. Suitably equipped, the TS Pro broke the Guinness World Record for the longest journey on a single charge, and the latest version comes with a 20.2kWh battery that provides a range of more than 200 miles. It charges in less than 35 minutes, and Verge notes that a 15-minute charge will add 60 miles to your range. You’ll spot one from a distance as the rear wheel has no middle, hence “donut”. As well as being visually unique, that open space assists with cooling the motor.
Yadea Keeness
Yadea Keeness
Price: £5,900
Yadea is the largest electric two-wheeler brand in China (and thus the world) so has something of a head start in terms of research and scale of production. It’s just introduced its range to the UK, with the Red Dot Award-winning “Keeness” having the highest spec, greatest power and a max speed of 110kmph. Two light, high-density batteries coupled with smart energy retrieval (ie, it’ll charge while going downhill) give it a range of around 80 miles. It has 16 litres of storage space internally and decent security features, including a GPS tracker that lets you set geofencing boundaries and alarms via the Yadea app.
Beachman Street Spec ’64
Beachman Street Spec ’64
Price: $5,750
Launching in Europe later this year, this Canadian-built bike is directly inspired by London’s café racer scene of the 1960s, focusing on craftsmanship, design and customisation and dialling back the more superficial tech accordingly – so, no Bluetooth, no GPS, no app. There are three riding modes (with 20mph, 30mph and 45mph top speeds) and a 55-mile range, with the option to upgrade the battery for an extra 15 miles. There are a bunch of optional extras to enhance the retro aesthetic, eg, leather saddlebag, quilted handgrips. You’ll look like you’re spinning around the North Circular Road in 1964, but you’ll be making a lot less noise.
