Scooter Review Evader EV 1000 A scoot for the future. $2860+orc
Words & photography by PETE CALLAGHAN Evader is a new name in the electric scooter market, with the brand’s first Australian offering, the EV 1000, due to arrive in dealers’ showrooms in October/November.
The EV 1000 is a redesigned and refined version of an earlier model, produced in collaboration with Evader’s US parent company and the Chinese manufacturer QJ. Improvements include a strengthened frame to make the scooter more suitable for bigger riders and to enable pillion passengers to be carried, as well as more robust handlebars. In addition, the EV’s 1000W/48V brushed DC rear hub-mounted electric motor is made in the USA, as is the wiring harness.
The scooter has a few interesting features, such as the grandly named HyperDrive Boost Switch, which is actually a rather simple button on the left-hand switchblock. Pressing it delivers an extra surge of power from the EV’s four 12V lead-acid batteries to the motor, which helps the EV conquer the bane of electric scooters – hills. Another feature is the automatic cut-off switch under the seat. It’s activated by the rider’s weight and is designed to prevent the scooter running away if the throttle is twisted when the rider is not seated. While the maximum speed of 50kmh and range of about 70-80km are fairly typical, my brief ride on the EV 1000 showed it had one important advantage over similar electric scoots: size. The dimensions are quite generous and I was able to slide my 180cm frame behind the legshields without feeling confined. The handlebars are placed at a good height for taller riders, and even though there’s plenty of ground clearance beneath the footwell, my legs weren’t cramped for space.
The scooter’s weight with batteries on board is a hefty 142kg, but it’s still a manageable machine, however I can’t tell you too much about the EV’s on-road handling. Although the EV 1000 does have ADR compliance, the example I rode hadn’t been registered so my quick spin was limited to a few laps around a carpark in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.
That said, the EV felt reasonably solid and stable. Initial acceleration from a standing start is a little relaxed, even with the HyperDrive engaged, but the scooter gets going quickly enough to deliver the kind of performance you’d expect from a 50cc petrolengined machine. The EV is also equivalent to a 50 in the eyes of the law, as it qualifies under the 50cc licence rule in Queensland, SA, WA and the NT.
For the price of $2860+orc, you get a neat-looking sports-styled scooter with 12-inch wheels and a topbox thrown in (the batteries take up any underseat storage), decent build quality and a recharge time of between 2-6 hours using the compact charging unit supplied as standard.
Evader is planning to shift no fewer than 1400 EVs over the next 12months, and is looking seriously at tapping the potentially lucrative market for personal on-site transport that exists in factories, ports and other large industrial facilities. Three dealers – one in Brisbane and two in Melbourne – are already on board, with more to come in other cities.
As published in TW SCOOTER MAGAZINE - 29/01/2007
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