Yes, it does seem to me that a little too much despondency has crept on to this thread lately.
There was an interesting article over the weekend on a UK website called Visordown, which bills itself as the World's fastest growing motorcycle website. The report offers a curiously positive take on the company, providing a bit of contrast to some of the pessimism evident in recent posts on this thread:
SUPER SOCO has reportedly topped electric sales figures for 2018, becoming the first electric motorcycle brand to sell more than 100 units in a year.Despite arriving in the UK less than two years ago 2017, Super Soco has achieved popularity among younger, and environmentally-conscious riders, taking over 25% of the overall market and 33% of the L1 class market. And thanks to this popularity and an expanding dealer network Super Soco managed to shift more than 100 units of its TS1200R and TC models last year.The brand only hopes to grow this success, with two new models coming this year. The £2,099 (govt grant included) CU-X electric scooter is due to enter dealerships in February, weighing just 70kg and promising a range of up to 40 miles on one charge.In April, the £3,999 (with government grant) TC Max will arrive, claiming to be the fastest and most powerful Super Soco model to date, with a top speed of 60mph and extreme acceleration. Powered by a 72v, 45Ah lithium-ion battery, it will feature an 80 mile range (if you ride at a constant 30mph).Richard Jordan, founder of Super Soco in the UK commented: “We’re really pleased to confirm the total number of units sold in 2018, and to become the first electric motorcycle brand to sell over 100 machines in a year.“More and more people, both existing riders and non-motorcyclists, are seeing the benefits of electric powered machines and with two new models arriving this year we’re looking forward to more people joining the eco-friendly revolution!”
So from the sound of it, Super Soco is leading the pack in the electric two-wheeler space, at least in the UK. This field is likely to become a more competitive in future, certainly, but in my opinion the 'electrification' of the motorcycle industry is likely to proceed at a much faster pace than that of large motor vehicles, and so being an early mover is important in this industry.
One thing mentioned in the article that I was less effusive about, however, was the price tag mentioned for the Super Soco CU-X. The 2099 pound figure mentioned equates to $3768 Australian dollars: this is much higher than what was cited in early reports about the CU at the start of last year. If you look at this European website from April last year, for example, it suggested that the scooter would be available for less than 1000 Euros (or $1588 AUD, at the current rate). So it looks as if the company hasn't been able to sell the scooter as cheaply as they would have liked to.
My opinion is that both low price and style are critical for companies selling motor-cycles, as I suspect 'impulse buying' is of greater significance for motorcycle retailers than is the case for those selling larger vehicles. Hopefully the higher price won't put off the buyers.
VMT Price at posting:
5.3¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Held
