Want an electric scooter with decent range and usable power for around-town riding? All the Japanese OEMs are supposedly working on this idea, but so is Kymco. The Taiwanese manufacturer is bringing its new Like 125 EV battery bike to market, with range as high as 200 kilometres if you are willing to upgrade it.
The Like 125 EV is supposed to be sort-of equivalent to a 125-class gas-powered scooter. Its brushless DC motor only makes 3,200 watts (roughly 4 hp), but with 90 lb-ft of torque, this scooter will reach cruising speed very quickly. Stop-and-go city traffic will be no problem.
In base form, the Like 125 EV has two batteries, but riders can stuff as many as five batteries into the scooter by taking advantage of its onboard storage. With a full complement of five batteries, Kymco claims this scooter has a 200-kilometre range (although we’d expect the onboard weight, speed and even ambient temperature will all play a role in limiting range).
Still, that’s pretty decent for a budget battery scoot, even if adding three batteries will drive up the price. Speaking of which, the Kymco Like 125 EV is expected to hit Europe at the price of 1,200 euros, which works out to roughly $1,700 CAD. Even if the price was double that if the scooter came to Canada, there would be plenty of buyers.
Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Kymco Canada will bring the Like 125 EV into our market, as the national website only lists ATVs at this point. It’s too bad, as this seems a practical machine for urban residents needing cheap, sensible transport.
