Zoomo is to add a higher speed e-bike to its range. The e-bike subscription firm – which primarily caters to gig economy workers – says the Zoomo One, “will eliminate the need for petrol mopeds on our roads.”
Offering weekly e-bike subscriptions as well as outright purchase and rent-to-buy options, Zoomo bills itself as “the world leader for electric last mile delivery bikes.”
Its UK offering has up until now been built around a series of 15mph e-bikes with the inclusion of repairs and servicing a key draw for those using the vehicles for work.
The Zoomo One is something rather different, however. With a 45km/h (28mph) top speed, it exceeds the 25km/h line that legally separates electrically-assisted pedal cycles from mopeds and is therefore more accurately termed a speed pedelec (S-pedelec).
(The firm flags dual speed ride modes in its press release – 25km/h e-bike or 45km/h for those with an appropriate licence.)
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S-pedelecs are not especially popular in the UK because, unlike their slower counterparts, you need to have a driving licence to ride one and they also need to registered, taxed and insured.
Zoomo think there’s a niche here though. Putting it forward as, “the vehicle-of-choice for food and grocery delivery drivers,” they say it’s been, “built to supplant petrol mopeds and accelerate the move towards carbon-neutral cities.”
Announcing the bike, a spokesperson said: “The Zoomo One will eliminate the need for petrol mopeds on our roads by providing a vehicle that offers the performance and price of a traditional moped, with the added benefit of customised options, in a greener vehicle.”
The bike will come with a 1kwh swappable battery and will be capable of carrying up to 60kg of cargo – 40kg on the back, 20kg on the front and with mounts for various types of delivery boxes.
It’ll also feature LED lighting (including indicators and brake lights), hydraulic disc brakes, real-time location tracking and various customisation options should firms wish to add their own branding.
Zoomo will also be offering fleet management software alongside its usual maintenance and financing package.
The Zoomo One will be available in 2022. Purchase price will be £3,000 + VAT.
"The Zoomo One will be the end of the petrol moped,” said Zoomo CEO and co-founder Mina Nada. “It is a true sector disruptor that displaces noisy and pollutive mopeds, and provides the most sustainable way to deliver bulky packages – all within 10 minute delivery timeframes.
“We are on the precipice of an EV revolution across the globe, and the Zoomo One will be a critical catalyst in fuelling this transition. The Zoomo One will be an obvious smart substitute to smaller, gas-vehicles on our roads.”