You’ve probably not heard of Zeeho. It’s a new electric bike brand from China – which might not float your boat straight away of course. But it’s actually a sub-brand of the CFMOTO company, which has launched some decent petrol-powered bikes of late.
And perhaps most interestingly, it’s got a tie-in with KTM, meaning that the new bikes will be imported, sold, and backed-up by the KTM UK outfit, meaning good warranty, spares and servicing support, especially compared with some other competitor brands.
We went to Barcelona in Spain to meet the Zeeho folks, and try out three of its new bikes – two scooters, and a crossover e-bicycle/moped machine. All three are aimed at urban mobility, which Zeeho reckons is the medium and short-term future for electric power.
Trying to make a battery-powered full-size full-power bike is essentially impossible at the moment. But making a 50cc or 125cc level machine, with enough range for daily commuting in a city or from the suburbs, and fairly fast charging from a normal 13A socket is easily done.
No-one is replacing their Fireblade or R1300 GS with a battery alternative today – but it’s easy to replace a 125 scooter or a train/bus/tube season ticket with a silent, clean, electric option.
We started off with a ride around Barcelona on the two new Zeeho scooters, the AE6+ and the AE8 S+. The 6+ is a lighter machine, aimed at pure city use, with performance similar to a 100cc scooter.
It puts out 7.5bhp, and has a range of around 60 miles with two batteries, and a top speed of around 50mph. There’s a combined braking system rather than ABS, a wheel-mounted motor and capacity for one battery plugged in, and a space for another battery under the seat, but you need to physically swap them over to use the extra range of the second battery.
The AE8 S+ is more of a 125cc machine, with 17bhp peak power (electric machines don’t work to the same 15bhp power limits as petrol engines), top speed of 65mph and 65 mile range.
It comes with two removable batteries connected as standard, has proper Bosch ABS with Brembo calipers, a full colour LCD dash, and a frame-mounted motor with belt final drive.
Both AE scooters work well around town, as you’d expect. There’s no noise or heat from a petrol engine, they have snappy, instant drive, and the handling is standard city scooter fare: a bit bouncy over potholes and quick steering from the small wheels.
The brakes are strong on both bikes though.
The AE8 S+ is more of a maxi-scooter, with more weight and length, and is a little less agile when the traffic gets really heavy. The AE6+ is smaller, and can fit through narrower gaps, but has less top speed and range.
It’s a trade-off: if you spend more time in the heart of the city, then the cheaper AE6 will be spot on. Venture onto an A-road, or have a longer commute in the morning, and the extra potential of the AE8 S+ is worth the effort.
Both bikes look good, and are well equipped, with a decent smartphone app support, tracking, fast 5-hour charging, LED lighting, adjustable rear suspension, USB sockets and underseat storage.
After a spin on the scooters, we get a quick taste of the City Sport (spelt C!ty Sport, sadly). This is a road-legal crossover bike, similar to the Talaria or Sur-Ron machines, which has elements of an electric mountain bike and a proper electric motorcycle.
It’s super light at just 80kg, and moped-level 50cc performance. Top speed is around 30mph, peak power is around 4.5bhp, and has a 50 mile range. There’s one removable battery, and a proper chassis, with full suspension, chain final drive, LCD displays, LED lighting and hydraulic disc brakes.
All three Zeeho models are heading for the shops now. KTM UK is setting up a new dealer network, prioritising city locations like London and Manchester, and there will be demo bikes available.
The AE6+ costs £2,899 with a single battery, and £3,399 for the dual battery option. The AE8 S+ is £4,699, including the two batteries, and the C!ty Sport is £2,899. Those prices might seem a little steep, but running costs will be minimal. More info: www.zeehoev.com