Electric news

Electric commuters a major opportunity

A COMBINATION OF PUBLIC transport failures, more home working, and a desire to help the environment means a big opportunity for bike dealers, according to bike finance firm MotoNovo Finance. Poor train reliability, increased costs, hybrid working, and green appeal mean small electric commuter bikes can bring in a new audience looking for cheap, easy transport.

“The cost and, sadly, the unpredictability of train commuting is joining with the emergence of hybrid and flexible working as a permanent feature of how we live and work,” said Julian Oliver, MotoNovo Finance’s national motorcycle manager. “People are not travelling to work every day, making season tickets inappropriate and often expensive. Many others work in the nighttime economy when public transport is often limited. While a car can be a good option, there are higher costs to contend with for its purchase, insurance and usage. With an electric motorcycle, people can access the convenience and control of their transport and do so very affordably.”

MotoNovo reckons a £90 deposit and monthly PCP payments of £90.87 for a Seat MO scooter, makes a lot of sense to many users. And electric bikes have other advantages for nonspecialist riders: low maintenance and running costs, easy to ride, and no worries about emissions zones or congestion charges.

“I love my traditional bike,” said Oliver. “But testing an electric motorcycle, I was struck by the fact that I am not its market because much of my use is leisure based. However, if I was commuting into a city daily, the ease, flexibility, cost and independence of electricity make sense; after all, how many train journey commutes will I get for less than £100 in a month?”