Everything you need to know when buying an Electric Moped.

Did you know that 28% of all new Mopeds sold in NZ are now electric! 

That’s why we wanted to help you understand what to look for and what to ask when looking to buy an Electric Moped. We have done our best to demystify the technical details that you’ll want to understand during the process of choosing the right electric moped for you. Once you have read our buyers guide, we strongly suggest taking an Electric Moped for a test ride and be sure to test it up some decent hills! 

Top Speed: Look for an Electric Moped that has a top speed of 50km/h to keep you safe and in the flow of traffic. Many Electric Mopeds sold in NZ are designed for the European market which may only have a top speed of 45km/h. The last thing you want to be doing is riding along the side of the road feeling like you are in the way of the traffic. Some Electric mopeds also have a second speed setting at 30km/h which is perfect for our inner city streets where speed limits have been reduced to 30k/h.

Motor size: Electric Moped Motors are measured in Watts. Motor sizes tend to start as low as 1200 Watts and go as high as 3000 Watts. This size of an Electric Mopeds motor is probably the most important factor to consider as it determines how much power it has. If you are likely to be going up hills regularly, then you will need to look at the higher end of this range. 1200 - 2000W motors are more suitable for flat cities. For Auckland & Wellington which has quite hilly terrain, you really need to be looking at the 3000W end of the spectrum.

Volts: The bigger the motor, the more power you require. Check out the voltage of the battery to see that it is powerful enough to drive the motor. Higher voltage batteries are good for powering bigger motors and smaller voltage batteries are good for smaller motors. Batteries tend to range from 48-72 Volts. 

Amp hours: Think of this as the size of your fuel tank. The more amp hours your battery has, the more gas you have in your tank to take you further. Check the specs to ensure that you understand how many amp hours each bike you look at has. If it's difficult to find this information then it's very likely that the battery has low amp hours.

Type of Battery: Lithium-Ion or Lead Acid?? Lithium batteries are newer technology and are much lighter than lead acid batteries. Lead Acid batteries expend their power very quickly whereas Lithium-ion batteries will provide you with power for longer. Topping up your battery little and often will not harm the life of your Lithium-Ion battery. Treat it like your mobile phone, keep it charged up and don’t let it go flat.

How much should I Pay? : You definitely get what you pay for and it is easy to measure. You will pay more for a more powerful motor, as well as a higher voltage battery with higher Amp hours. These factors all lead to the performance of your Electric Moped. A Moped with a small motor and with a low voltage battery with low amp hours will cost less but deliver low performance vs a higher spec’d Electric Moped. Some Electric mopeds are also physically very small whereas others are more similar in size to a typical petrol moped and are better suited for the average Kiwi frame.

Charging: Electric Mopeds use a standard household power point to charge allowing you to easily charge wherever you go. At home, at work or while visiting friends. Topping up your battery little and often will not harm the life of your Lithium-Ion battery

Tyre Size: The bigger the tyre, the more stability and grip you will have while riding. You will also get less wear on a larger tyre as it can travel more distance on one revolution of the wheel. Smaller tyres have to rotate faster to make the bike go the same distance as a larger tyre (wheel).

Types of Brakes: Look for an Electric Moped that has hydraulic disc brakes on both the front and the rear wheels. Disc brakes provide far superior stopping power than drum brakes.

Range: The battery has a finite amount of energy stored in it and this energy is consumed more quickly when more weight is added to the bike. Similarly, it takes more energy to go up hills than it does to ride along the flat. Typically, an Electric Moped range is stated based on the lowest speed setting on a flat level ground with a single rider.

The Environment: Electric Mopeds do not emit any CO2 or other emissions. The other huge benefit is that electric mopeds don’t contribute to noise pollution.  We have all heard the noise from a petrol moped long before we see it!

Maintenance: The only parts on an Electric Moped that need to be maintained are brakes, tyres and the battery. Regularly inspect your tyres for wear and tear and replace them once the tread is getting low. Ensure that you always keep some charge in your battery to maximise its life.. Do not store your Lithium-Ion battery while it is completely flat as it will reduce the life of your battery. Brake pads will typically last around 4000km’s on a moped.

Did you know?

• 28% of new Moped Registrations in NZ are now Electric Mopeds.
• You can ride an Electric Moped on your learners car licence.
• You don't need a motorcycle licence to ride an Electric Moped
• You can ride an Electric Moped in bus lanes and transit lanes at any time.
• You can own an Electric Moped for less than the annual cost of fuel for your car.
• Charge using any standard household power point.
• The safest position to ride your Electric Moped on the road is directly behind the driver of the car in front. Don’t ride on the edge of the road as this is where most of the loose stones and gravel collect.
• That you can park an Electric Moped within the new white triangle road markings.
• No more Petrol bIlls! A full charge will only cost you around $1
• On average, Aucklanders spend 39 minutes on the bus to travel 12km at a speed of 18km/h at a cost of around $3.55. That’s $7.10 per day, and almost 1 ½ hours out of your day. [stats.govt.nz]. An Electric Moped will get you there in just 20mins, saving you valuable time and only cost you $0.25 per journey.