How much should eScoot insurance and tax cost
Our opinion and opinion of majority is that eScotter with motors up to 300w/500w shouldn’t require tax or insurance at all. There shoul sure be some eScooters and eRides that dont require anything to encourage zero emission transport. Electric cars for example get free parking in Dublin at charging points so if they get some benefits eRides should get some too.
If we compare eRides to scooters/mopeds that is closest category then we can say that one bhp is 745.7 watts. That means 250w motor has 0.335256 bhp or 100 watt motor has 0.134102 bhp. Mopeds and scooter usually have 4bhp that is equivalent to 2982.8 watts. So we could say that anything less than 3000 watts shouldn’t be considered MPV and require Insurance or tax.
Lets say that 50cc moped insurance is €250 and sice 50cc scooter is equivalent to 2982.8 watts one watt would be €0.08 so 250w eScooter insurance shouldn’t be more than €20 and that might be a problem because we doubt anyone would insure eRide so that low price. So government best option is to declare eRides with smaller motors non MPV.
Another interesting thing to add is that 250 watts is not very much power by ebike standards. Professional cyclists can put out more than 400 watts on leg power alone so anything below 500 watts sure shouldn’t be considered MPV.
