Welcome To The BMG Electric vehicle info page
L1e-B
or
L3e-b?
What is the difference between an L1e-B and L3e-B type electric scooter/ motorcycle.
L1e-B are bikes which are restricted a speed of 28 MPH / 45 KPH. This is equivalent to a 50cc internal combustion engine scooter.
These can be ridden from the age of 16 after having completed a CBT ( compulsory basic training )
L3e-B is designated for scooters / bikes which have a top speed in excess of 28MPH. The minimum age to ride an L3 is 17 and a CBT is required unless you possess a full motorcycle licence. There are of course some very powerful L3e-B motorcycles.
The licence requirements to ride these are the same as for conventional motorcycles.
What is PIMG?
The Plug In Motorcycle Grant (PIMG) is issued by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and is available to certain brands and models which have been approved for the grant. Certain criteria must be met in order to qualify for the PIMG, one of them being that the batteries have a minimum three year manufacture’s warranty. The grant is worth 20% off the price of the vehicle and is deducted by the dealer at the time of purchase. The customer need not worry about applying for the grant as the whole process is carried out by the selling dealer prior to delivery.
Batteries
There are three main types of battery in use today
Lithium-ion (Li-ion)
Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
Sealed lead Acid (SLA)
Lithium ion batteries are a fairly recent development in the industry and as a result are the most expensive. They have taken the market by storm because of the new features they provide. They have a major advantage over other types of batteries because they are the lightest type on the market today.Coupled with the fact that they last about three times longer than ta regular Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery, they are very attractive to electric scooter manufacturers. They weigh a little less than NiMH batteries and are half the weight of sealed lead acid batteries.
Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
This type of battery has been around for quite some time now and are fairly light compared to lead acid batteries and offer a great power to weight ratio. These too are expensive but compact making them a great choice for use in scooters and motorcycles.
SLA (sealed lead acid)
The lead acid battery has been around for a long time and is commonly found in cars. They are bulky and heavy but powerful. For this reason they are still a popular choice and are used in many scooters and bikes being readily available and the least expensive of the three options. Their lifespan however, is dependant on surrounding temperatures, size and quality.
What about range?
It is quite common to find scooters or bikes which have the possibility to fit one or two battery packs.The vehicle range is dependent on the power output and the number of batteries fitted.
Most single battery vehicles have a range of approximately 40 miles.
Twin pack models can easily achieve 80+ miles on a single charge
charging times
Re-charge times for the batteries varies, but in general a full charge is achieved about four hours with most achieving an 80% charge in two and a half hours ( single battery).
Some scooters have removable battery packs to facilitate re-charging at home or place of work.
All the vehicles we sell are recharged through a conventional 13 amp household 3 pin plug.