Zoomi Life

It’s no secret Detroit’s not a great place to live right now. The recession, which has affected the entire country, has been particularly hard on Detroit’s auto industry. American auto giants Ford, GM and Chrysler are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and not even the recent auto bailout guarantees that they’ll recover. And it’s certainly not doing much good to all the Detroit-area businesses whose profits are suffering due to the economic domino effect of Big Auto’s troubles.

Read More: As Detroit Suffers, Local EV Retailer Prospers

The motorcycle show going on in New York right now will see the debut of the new Vectrix models VX-1e and VX-2 on Friday. These much-anticipated new scooters in the Vectrix line promise some variety in the scooter market.

Read More: New Vectrix VX-1e and VX-2 to Debut Friday

The small “city” of Eagle, Idaho (anyone who’s been there knows that the word “city” is loosely applied) will be getting Vectrix scooters for their police officers to test. The scooters, on loan from a local Harley-Davidson dealer, will be outfitted as their New York City counterparts: with police decals, lights, etc.

Read More: Eagle, Idaho Joins New York City: Cops On Scooters

Sometimes failure and adversity can pleasantly turn into opportunity. Take this morning, for example. I utterly failed to wake up on time to make it to today’s Santa Monica Electric Vehicle parade, an event I’d been looking forward to for some time. However, my failure to arrive on time also presented me with an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with Adam Maoz of Zero Emission Motors, and to test drive his Volt electric moped.

Read More: Volt Electric Moped Test Drive

It’s not often that I say something like “Wow” when I look at a scooter or moped. I don’t generally like them. This one is different. The XM-5000Li electric moped has a lot of great features for such a low-priced machine, including a boatload of power. Most mopeds are underpowered little things without much excuse for their existence. Not this one.

Read More: Closer Look: The XM-5000Li Electric Moped by X-Treme Scooters

As with our electric car picks for 2008, these electric scooters are all available in the USA now or will be in 2009 and are top picks for various reasons: design, capability, innovation, etc. Most of you know by now that scooters are one of my least favorite things, but there are an amazing number of them on the EV market and they seem to be popular as commuters and all-around “get around” machines.

Read More: Our Top 5 Electric Scooters Of 2008

The new Bolt Electric Moped from Zero Emission Motors is the newest edition to their lineup of 1,500watt Electric Mopeds. We last caught up with the guys at Zero Emission Motors when they released a similarly named the Volt Electric Moped. The Volt was the first electric moped, that I know of, in the price range, to achieve its’ top speed/range numbers.

Read More: Zero Emission Motors Unveils Bolt Electric Scooter & Savings for the Holidays

In motor vehicles, whether they be electric or gasoline powered, or halfway between, there’s a basic understanding among manufacturers: if you don’t have anything to ad, repaint it and call it “new” anyway, so you can market it to the masses.

Such is the case with Vectrix’s new 2009 series. Not that this is a bad thing. The scooters (which look like motorcycles, as I mentioned in an article not long ago) are basically good how they are and don’t need much change anyway. They changed the name (from MaxiScooter to VX-1) and that’s about it.

Read More: Vectrix Announces 2009 Vectrix VX-1 Electric Scooter

Piaggio makes unique scooters, to say the least, that utilize 3-wheeled designs. Unfortunately, Piaggio decided to name this machine the MP3, which their marketers failed to tell them would instantly make it seem less hip as it tries to rip off the popular music format’s household status.

When I tell you I’m riding an MP3, you’ll assume I’m using a creative euphemism for listening to a song. No one thinks of scooters when they hear “MP3.” If you see a scooter and someone tells you it’s called an “MP3,” you’ll just shake your head and say “what a stupid name.”

Read More: Piaggio Announces MP3 Hybrid Scooter - Gets 141 MPG

If you prefer traditional, but more modern-styled scooters, then the Zapino electric scooter will appeal to you for sure. For the urban or close suburban commuter, the around-towner, or people who need a small, low-cost get-arounder for their RV or similar use, it’s hard to beat the Zapino. And for the ladies out there? It’s available in pink! Sold yet?

Read More: Zapino: ZAP’s Electric Scooter