Electric Classic Scooters

[@bellofbelmont]

I was in Beijing a few years ago at a night market. Unlike most asian markets there was almost no motor noise. All the little 3 and 2 wheel vehicles were electric. Thanks for the vid. Jim Bell (Australia)

[@Roguescienceguy]

China makes insane progress

[@baomao7243]

Vespa scooters are super-fun. My GTV300 Vespa has been a blast. I don’t own an EV Vespa but you’ve made me want to try one now!

[@JGS123WRPTP]

What a great way to bring back old vehicles, they’ve got a new lease of life.

[@Anonymous-ib8so]

They are fine as tgey are. Electric conversions are criminal vandalism

[@urbanstrencan]

This is what we need more of motorcycle EV conversions and EV conversion kits ;) great work

[@thomas6502]

Always loved these as a kid... even more now as a grown child!

[@raysville7256]

That 59 Vespa looks suspiciously modern, just fabulous!

[@jimcabezola3051]

That is simply glorious! I'd even put aside my pedal bike for one of these babies!

[@samhalsey5051]

Richard you really are amazing! Only after seeing a couple of other “electric converters” I realized how knowledgeable you really are and how you also come across as a person with honesty and integrity. You just got to wear a heavier jacket on car wow! Love that defender!!!

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Thank you for your kind words. ❤️👍

[@AntonioToma-q2j]

You were having way too much fun! And who needs speed when it's oozing so much style. I want one!!!!

[@waynethefridgemanosborne8984]

Know where you are coming from have had a moped scooter for 2 years now, silent riding and the silly grin is so infectious.. sure the plug pirate would enjoy them too .Keep smiling everyone

[@nsbhagwat]

In the mid 90's drove the blue small frame Vespa to work daily. In India it was marketed by Piaggio as the Vespa PL 170. It had the split seats with the driver seat incorporating a spring mechanism for a comfortable ride. Very reliable plus was easy on the pocket. Smaller port hole under the driver seat mean't accessing the carburettor and spark plug a task.

[@busog97641]

My wife and I always look forward to getting to watch this channel. The *BEST* channel here on KZbin!

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Wow, thank you!

[@spudproductions7606]

That’s great to hear 👍👍😀

[@RealBLAlley]

Beautiful Veicolo Elettrico Spa conversions. Using the spare tire location for the removable batteries is a clever solution.

[@stephenwensley]

Love the idea that you are selling these. Hopefully you extend this to the final product that the customers of your car kits produce as well

[@jamesellsworth9673]

You and Tim really inspire confidence in those of us who want to 'go electric.'

[@kemasdimas]

Watching this put a big grin on my face 😁 very well done conversion, looks neat!

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Glad you like it!

[@dangreasley7934]

Thanks for this one Richard. Keep these videos coming. Great bumping into you and Tim tonight at Langstone Tech park at Havant at the Tesla superchargers, really enjoyed the chat. Take care and look forward to the next video. More engineering please. :)

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Great to meet you too. More engineering in the videos - noted. 😁👍👍👍

[@spudproductions7606]

Great to meet you too. Plenty more tech on the way. 👍👍😀

[@TheHabitThatKicksYou]

I’m surprised how confident and natural you are on the Vespa if that’s your first time! I’ve seen riders with many years under their belts far wobblier than that on the road! 😂

[@maxbrazel604]

What a classic, from NSW,Australia 🇦🇺👍😎👍

[@Senrab46]

Great to see such classic scooters getting the ev treatment. I wonder how the small frame Vespa performed in comparison; love to know Tim's assessment. 👍

[@idontagree9658]

Y'all are the best EV mod & classic upgrade to modern car & van flippers on YT. I admire your business. Please consider a episode around a 4 cylinder ICE & EV hybrid, with regen braking, conversion for the hesitant to leave ICE crowd. Your channel has made leaps & bounds for EV credibilty. Please pull the middle of the road to the EV "dark side" (: Fun channel nod from Texas.

[@RedBatteryHead]

Officially you need to indicate with your arms. Safety first 🤗 Nice scooters.

[@fahrrad-noerdlingen]

A Vespa this age with an electric engine - this is very hard to get my head around! A Vespa smells like two stroke - two stroke was my fist bike an I still like the smell a lot. It reminds me of my wilder days a long time ago. And you can not change the spark plug every time it does not want to start...!🤣🤣🤣

[@James_T_Quirk]

Nice Ride, I ride a EV PushBike, mine is 750 watt Bafang Mid Drive, with 52V 17.5 A.H Battery, works well on road with Disc Brakes, but I prefer acceleration sometimes to avoid troubles with Traffic, which the Bafang provides, a charge last about a week of going to shops, excursions etc, but the Old School Italian "Cafe" Scooter you are riding looks very cool !!, 1 thing I miss is Storage, & what I would miss on Vespa would be Pedals to keep fit. So I also have same conditional, any idiot can use them, as demonstrated by me, however while catching Flies is a issue here in Australia, Knowing when to hit the brakes, when a Magpie swoops at you, So they prang into back of your helmet once, so they learn to bugger off, is more important...

[@andyonions7864]

Amp hours don't mean squat dood. Need Kilowatt hours. I take it back. You gave the voltages too. All cool.

[@irishrover63]

I have a Vespa GTS300 and couldn't bring myself around to converting it, I would miss the engine noise so much. You done well mate for a first scooter ride. Think I have the same jacket from Next, but never wear it bike riding.

[@ErwinWernerTeichmann]

Super Cool!

[@eddie_cooper]

Done real nice 👍🏼

[@MrGMawson2438]

Cheers guys

[@peterjol]

I was a mod in the 60's ..My favourite scooter was my Vespa SS 180 (top speed just over 60 mph)...the only trouble is I wouldn't want an electric scooter that can't go as fast as 60 mph ...because that's the speed that ensures I can keep in with the flow of traffic. I always felt much safer keeping with the flow of traffic and not having everything overtaking me.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

You’re a braver man than me doing 60 on a scooter. 😆😉👍

[@peterjol]

@@ElectricClassicCars I would bet if you had driven that one for a week you would have started wishing it went a bit faster...lol...although for sure in town traffic it's more than enough.

[@alankemp1970]

No problem getting an electric scooter (conversion) to do over 60mph with a huge amount of torque the acceleration is amazing too. 8kw hub motor at 72v or preferably 120v would definitely out perform the standard brakes and suspension so would need some upgrades. My classic Vespas used to hit 90mph + but they were heavily modified on the inside despite looking original on outside. I have a 12kw hub motor that may end up in a Vespas 😵‍💫

[@francesconicoletti2547]

Well from what Moggy was saying I think the one he was riding is legally classified as a moped which are legally limited to 45 kph. It would have been interesting to see the blue one have a run. I suspect that would be set up as a light motorcycle, as that would permit new riders to use it.

[@williamlawrenson8345]

60 in towns and cities!

[@axeman3d]

Electric makes so much sense for scooters. I think the only downside is they're so quiet you will hear everything rattling in your storage if you're not careful.

[@fetchstixRHD]

Especially for mopeds/50cc equivalents, it's unlikely you're really going to be doing any real distance in one, and quite likely that they'd be in city areas (decided on an electric moped myself as I have a car licence, and haven't really needed to go large distances or on faster roads).

[@bettyswallocks6411]

Need a lot more headlamps and loads of mirrors and definitely the bigger battery if I’m gonna get down to Brighton, especially with me bird on the back.

[@54mgtf22]

Hey Richard. Awesome. I want one. 👍

[@motogee3796]

Instant like❤

[@Romiman1]

Even with having a BMW CE 04 (20/42hp), I want to take a ride with this 72V Vespa!

[@joeg3950]

Fantastic!

[@K1989L]

I'd love to have one as well!

[@bryandickerson5365]

That was great, but why in the world didn’t we get some footage of Tim on the other scooter for comparison?

[@magpie6648]

"If i lived in the city i don't think i'd have a car.. i'd have one of these".. 😮 Until you get caught in a deluge of rain😂😂😂 cool bikes, they're great for dry day spins...❤❤❤

[@fetchstixRHD]

Funny enough, I generally don't mind the rain too much, for the most part I'm dressed such that I don't get wet (though I'm lucky in that I only need to commute, rather than work all day outside in the rain!)

[@dennisbuckley]

Even though it’s legal to ride the low power version on an older car driving licence, I would still recommend taking a day’s CBT on a 125 scooter. You’ll be taught road craft from a motorcyclist’s perspective, eg positioning, ‘life savers’, etc, all new skills, regardless of how long you’ve been behind the wheel 👍

[@Corum001]

Great fun. 😄

[@neglectedloves]

How to turn an adult into a giggling boy in seconds: riding one of these Vespas 😂😂😂

[@michaelanderson3771]

Love the retro vesper conversion. So many old bikes and scooters that could be rebirthed with either hub motor or belt drive as engine parts are like chickens lips to find. Now need to look at this in Aus.

[@1MarcVD]

I really would have loved to see Tim's experience with the higher powered blue Vespa...

[@ElectricClassicCars]

He had a lot of fun. So much so it’s probably best it wasn’t filmed . 🤣🤣😉👍

[@John.0z]

So much more civilised than the original petrol powered early originals. The brakes are better too.

[@Tomtum8797]

Hi. Im wondering if you could tell me? Do converted electric classics require DOE of any kind?

[@jnc07res]

omg, just when I turned a blind eye to the Porsches, the Testarossa even, you come after our beloved two strokes! Have you no shame!

[@mikebikekite1]

Beautiful looking scooters. Few questions: how do you secure the battery to stop others from walking off with it? Older style scooters can be difficult to lock up and most folk use a large chain around the floor pan and attaching it to a lamppost etc - thing is there isn't much storage on these scoots. Maybe fit one of the Vespa style handlebar locks? A curry hook would be a useful addition and cost very little. A little LED light in those storage areas might help on dark nights. Will it charge on a normal3 pin plug? How long does it take? Can I suggest not stating battery capacity in amp hours as that doesn't say very much unless you also have voltage - a more useful/standard metric is kWh.

[@fetchstixRHD]

for the 3-pin question, there's the charger at about 3:16 for one of them, which is three-pin.

[@zodiacfml]

5:11 sounds unreal. it just moves without noise. this is the sound or noise of vehicles of the future.

[@grantclinch2496]

Have you guys ever converted a Bond Bug ? Or a bubble car ??? Would the scooter power train be enough for these vehicles ??……. Id love the size and cost of a scooter, but with a roof 😊

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Yep. We converted a BMW Isetta bubble car a few years back. It was great. 👍

[@tompava3923]

What's rattling? "Spare tire" cover?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Key fob on the battery cover. 👍

[@stephen-boddy]

@@ElectricClassicCars I was going to ask what that was too. Would get really annoying with our crappy road surfaces, although I guess you barely heard it with the crash helmet covering your ears?

[@nvdlboy]

those look like a hoot to ride around. Okay range for city only use, but the limited range and speed would be a challenge where I live in North America.

[@idontagree9658]

UK definitely has better, & bike friendly, civil engineering but of course they have had longer to perfect. The Roman Empire got em started. Have you tried looking for alternate routes with "avoid hwys & toll roads" in your GPS? A sleightly slower, more adventurous path might be devil in the details. Just imagine the purty lady with a little more cushion, and a lovely vibbing laugh, riding passenger. Fun!

[@nvdlboy]

@@idontagree9658 my commute includes a stretch of freeway as does trying to get out of my municipality - people drive like maniacs, even on my VStrom 650 it can be a bit hairy. Just need to move away from this city to somewhere a little more laid back where I might consider a second bike. My wife is not interested in bikes at all and I don’t think she’d be happy if I sought out a willing companion. 🤣

[@myronalcock4716]

That's cool!

[@mrxraymri]

No footage of riding the 72V??? That's the motor KW?

[@locknut5382]

It would be great to see a Lambretta given the electric treatment.

[@Grant_S_M]

Way too much fun!

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

It's always a bit disturbing at first when you Britts start driving on the wrong side... Yes I said that. I've driven in the UK a few times when going there on vacation and renting a car is a good way of reminding you to drive on the left side. I remember that the first time I grabbed the window crank on the door the first time I tried to shift gear. Driving in London was relatively simple. There's so many cars on the road that it's pretty obvious which side to drive on. Out in the country on small roads a bit off where there's hours between the times you see a car it's not quite as obvious and I remember the passengers calling for me to keep to the left at least once. Then there's the roads that turn out to be more of a pair of wheel tracks over the fields. A friend was driving when we saw a cop car meeting us on the road a far bit away. Well it turned out that we met them at a sharp left hand (for us) turn around a hill, so she saw them as we were turning. Well both stepped on the brakes and turned to avoid crashing. Only our driver did as she was trained and turned right while the police turned left as he should. The cars stopped with a few CM between the bumpers and we got to have a nice talk to a pair of police men who wondered why she turned that way. We had a good time and never got involved in any real accident, actually the constant feeling I had to remember to look the "wrong" way probably made us concentrate more on the driving than when driving at home. Still, it's kind of hard to switch to left hand driving. Where I live we switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1967. It was not something people liked and had there been a vote on it the day it happened most would have voted to keep left -hand traffic. But even though there were a lot of people screaming about how dangerous it would be there were very few accidents, actually fewer then before the switch. Somethings were however not that good. In the capital we had a for the times very advanced multi level turnabout with lots of tunnels and way to many signs. Switching this to right hand traffic was not a good thing. Suddenly the turns got even harder to understand and forty years later I still occasionally ended up going the wrong way. But when you looked at it and how it would be to drive if we were using left hand driving then things were a lot more sane. Now the last few years they've destroyed the old construction and built a modern traffic solution. I haven't driven it but it looks a lot simpler, and it's built for right-hand traffic this time. Given the status of most countries using right-hand traffic I think it was a good idea to switch back in 1967. Sure it was a big deal at the time, but waiting would only have made it more expensive, and importation of cars is so much easier when you don't have to buy cars with the driver on the right side.

[@MrGMawson2438]

Would carrying a different battery drain the one battery to much ?

[@jennyallen6393]

The condition of the roads are the same as in Australia!

[@jonathandouglas7639]

I'm amazed at the sound--I could swear I heard the "putt putt" of an ICE! Where is the sound coming from?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

That’s the sound of the electric motor. 👍

[@vincentrobinet2713]

It would be great if Tim could ride the blue scooter and explain the speed and acceleration difference the 72 volt pack makes. There seemed to be a muffled engine sound while Richard was riding. Is there a noise generator one bike?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Nope. That’s the noise of the motor. I quite liked the noise. 👍

[@RenaissanceManChild]

I'd love one. But with it being so quiet, I'd have to sort out that janky knocking wheel cover.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

The knocking noise was the key fob hitting the battery cover.

[@RenaissanceManChild]

@@ElectricClassicCars Aah ok. I knew it sounded like the wheel cover in some form. I'd have to stick a bit of padding on under that ingnition then I think :)

[@onesoundJM]

What is the price of moter insurance for the bikes ? When I buit a converted honda 90 into electric I was told the insurance would be over £1009 pounds for the equivelent 50cc in power.

[@alankemp1970]

Not noticed any difference with insurance with any of the motorcycles I’ve converted, most were way more powerful than the ice being replaced in reality but on paper the power output is less. Get the V5 changed and the appropriate MOT etc and all normal.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

When we converted the Royal Enfield to electric I can’t remember any major increase in insurance premiums.

[@MrBenn197025]

Having ridden a few Vespas in my time, the idea of not having the noisy, smelly and slow engine, along with ditching the twist gears gets rid of the main downsides of these scooters for me... perfect.

[@timmybikester2309]

Beautiful little machines. I didn’t like the knocking noise ? From the front suspension

[@ElectricClassicCars]

It was the key fob hitting the battery box cover. My fault totally. Didn’t even notice it with the helmet on. 👍

[@jaakkokorkeala]

It sounded a little like a 2cycle motor popping. 🙂

[@eperera]

Will like to know if you have the convertion kit for export, in my case to Costa Rica

[@ElectricClassicCars]

You need to contact these guys directly www.retrospectivescooters.com/

[@scubatrucker6806]

Cool❤❤

[@McGoogger]

I want one so bad!!

[@connormccarter9581]

Oh, that looks like fun. To bad around my neck of the world people drive like they are trying to kill scooters and motorcycles... Question, did you go to a school or study under someone to learn what you do or is this all hard won knowledge? Thanks Richard!

[@ElectricClassicCars]

All self taught. Although it helps to have an electrician as a dad. 😉👍

[@connormccarter9581]

@@ElectricClassicCars Huh.... Cool! Thanks again!

[@markbennett6658]

He should get these on the stand at one of the UK based ‘Everything Electric’ shows. Those are apparently well attended.

[@davidnewbrook8628]

They have attended the Farnborough Show, I rode a converted Lambretta there.

[@davidsaxby5400]

Does the scooter decelerate rapidly if you remove your hand from the throttle to indicate right with your arm?

[@ddally8851]

I live in the USA. Imagine my pain and disappointment when you said that this company was in London.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

They ship a lot of kits to the US. 👍

[@Lambrettist]

What is the range at 60 - 75 mph starting at 100% charge? I'm genuinely curious.

[@robertallgeier2109]

Hi, Richard; good show! Nice to see you again. No one ever calls you Moggy these days, right? :-)

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Sometimes Moggy, sometimes Richard. 😉👍

[@WonkoTheSaneUK]

The only things missing from these scooters are 48 mirrors and a fishtail parka! 😁

[@ElectricClassicCars]

And a load of spot lights. 😎👌

[@ObiePaddles]

It would transform Rome

[@mike48111]

Awesome conversion, love these old babes! The build quality looks shoddy though, I see loose rattling batteries, electrical tape. Uhm. Hope this is not the production version. Also, front brake should be a disc conversion.

[@Davidee-14]

I love like these electric scooters, I would like to buy one . Where can I to buy it in the Minnesota States?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Contact Niall at www.retrospectivescooters.com/

[@toyotaprius79]

Would love one of these if they come with a sidecar and cruise at 70kmh

[@MrFoxRobert]

👋👍

[@christopherbrand5360]

Three to four professional cyclists at full sprint make 4kw. It is enough to accelerate a scooter nicely :)

[@MrGMawson2438]

Hello guys Cracking EVespa's

[@adamdavies2670]

Oh my god this is brilliant. I once imported a "totally restored!" and "vintage" Vespa from Vietnam (I know, I know . . .) and it was a total piece of fake junk. Once as I sat at a traffic light, in neutral, it lurched into gear and raced forward, throwing me off and hitting the car in front of me. It was hateful and evil. And even the authentic old Vespas still have to mix oil with the gas, which is a pain, but ELECTRIFYING IT: brilliant. I'll miss the sputtering espresso-maker noises of the engine, though.

[@acefoxuk]

Still really surprised no one has done this with the modern scooter (moped) they would sell tons!!

[@gergall1809]

Fully charged show has covered e-scooters/mopeds in some episodes..

[@davidnewbrook8628]

Try looking for Vespa Elettrica on the web.

[@JP-xd6fm]

I love it!, I would love to see something similar but focused on performance for those lads they put noisy exhaust on their scooters and show them that with electric they would be faster. I'm so tyred of noise tbh!

[@stuartwilliams3164]

Do they have fire suppression??

[@vitovitale169]

Classic Vespa's are worth serious money and I really do not see the point in devaluing them with an electric conversion. A really high mileage modern 10 -15-year-old Vespa would be a better choice. Also, because they already have all around brake discs and better comfier seat and suspension layout don't you think Richard?

[@rexmundi8154]

Here in the US I see non running Vespa and the clones for not a lot of money, like under $2000.

[@tjsouthard870]

Looks good sounds like .... nothing. Hate the lack of the 2 stroke smoke.

[@ragavendrkr8967]

How much cost for conversion kit

[@grahambeyer6254]

Just need to sort that battery case knocking noise and your sorted.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

It was the key fob hitting the battery box cover. 😉👍

[@MrGMawson2438]

7:14 do the 0 to 20 😀

[@markbennett6658]

Probably an easier sell than electric vintage motorcycle. The EV conversion I fear is more ‘Mod than Rocker’!😂

[@fcf8269]

are these street legal? They have no turn signals

[@simonbailey7111]

What keeps rattling ?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

The key fob was hitting the battery cover. I didn’t hear it with my helmet on.

[@luapnomis21]

IF.......I........FALL ❤

[@davidsaxby5400]

Did I miss the price tag?

[@MrGMawson2438]

Cheers Google lol But planners' myopic focus on cars led them to miss the rise of another equally important form of transportation that would take over China's streets: the electric scooter. In 2022, there were 350 million scooters in use in China, compared to approximately 230 million private cars.6 Jun 2023

[@miketayse]

It needs a scented candle to make it smell like a 2 stroke. Sick, I know, but I miss the sound and smell.

[@saurannuraliyev1695]

It needs some buzzer to attract other drivers, though many of them not capable to notice roaring 150 cc Chinese monsters!

[@alankemp1970]

Modern petrol scooters are really quiet now, I’ve been in Zaragoza in Spain for 3 weeks and surprised at how it rare to even hear the ice scooters approaching and definitely non of the constant 2 stroke buzz of a few years ago.

[@deltajohnny]

@alankemp1970 Hey! I live in Zaragoza 😁😁😁 Yes, modern scooters are very silent, and it is rare to see 2 stroke ones these days over here 👍

[@alankemp1970]

@@deltajohnny Hola! it’s a nice city! My wife is from Zaragoza and we were visiting family, just arrived back in England.

[@deltajohnny]

​@@alankemp1970 What a small world! 😁😁 Best regards to you and your wife from what I call "the wind city" 😅😅 Saludos,

[@Stricks823]

What a strange configuration for the grey one, I mean I would never place a battery behind the wheel cos even the original tire was ugly af not to say that it reduces leg room, and a battery on one of the sides seems stupid to me cos weight distribution is even more important in a 2 wheel vehicle so if I had built it it would have a battery on each side and a third one underneath the seat (cos with 3 batteries I think the average Joe can use it in a always charge at home "mode"