Vectrix financially close to bankruptcy?

The share price has just about tripled in the last month or so! Spectacular!

Really? today trading at 2p per share (down from 10p last year, and 52p when it floated!)
http://www.digitallook.com/cgi-bin/dlmedia/security.cgi?csi=113276&ac=&username=

Still share price isnt everything, looks like they may ditch NiMh and then things will pick up. I wonder how many shares there are in Vectrix, at 2p each it could be a bargain take over lol!

Screw GM and Chrysler. The government should bail out Vectrix.

Post deleted by original poster: it was meant to be funny but perhaps it wasn't. Sorry.

A really helpful thread... NOT! Just what someone interested in EV's needs to read prior to making a purchase. Someone needing this level of investment needs confidence they're not going to (a) buy a lemon and (b) be left stranded should their supplier go AWOL.

Sure, I thought long and hard last year before committing, and I delayed making a purchase until I was (reasonably) sure of my decision. Since May last year I was glad I did, and I have nothing but praise for the company, its ethic and the assistance I have had from them (which, to be honest isn't much as I've not needed it).

With the Banks and Vehicle companies being bailed out by the taxpayer, the fact Vectrix is still here says a lot, and I continue to wish them well.

Raymond, you are spot on. Of course, a forum will only focus on the issues and problems. There are maany users out there that are happily riding on their vectrix. I too have only good things to say about Vectrix here in the UK. Whenever I call I get a probmt answer to my question and Vectrix UK people are very helpful (and interested!) to get feedback from their customers. I am a happy Vectrix customer and rider!

Norman

Maybe I could add that GP Batteries bought a rather large stake of Vectrix - and got a few hundred bikes as well. GP is probably the strongest support we could hope for. If you read the "Investors" info at the vectrix site you will find more about it.

A really helpful thread... NOT! Just what someone interested in EV's needs to read prior to making a purchase. Someone needing this level of investment needs confidence they're not going to (a) buy a lemon and (b) be left stranded should their supplier go AWOL.
Sure, I thought long and hard last year before committing, and I delayed making a purchase until I was (reasonably) sure of my decision. Since May last year I was glad I did, and I have nothing but praise for the company, its ethic and the assistance I have had from them (which, to be honest isn't much as I've not needed it).
With the Banks and Vehicle companies being bailed out by the taxpayer, the fact Vectrix is still here says a lot, and I continue to wish them well.

I, on the other hand, was keen as mustard to get a Vectrix as soon as I came across the announcements in mid-2007. I contacted the Australian importer for Vectrix months before the first scooters arrived in Australia.

Sporadiclly I had (for a long time) been checking if an EV with useful specs was available yet ... but I was too busy with other projects to check more often than every few years.

Then, unexpectedly, the Vectrix popped up when I had another look on the web in 2007.

They claimed (unbelievably) good specs (because some of them were just lies!), but it was undoubtedly the best EV money could buy at the time.

As far as I can see, the Vectrix is STILL the best electric scooter money can buy. Maybe even the best production EV money can buy.

The Tesla Roadster is really the only alternative so far, if you want to buy an EV which can keep up with traffic so you will not put your life at risk more than necessary. But I don't believe you can walk into a shop or order a Tesla online and then drive it around next week...
(The Twike might be the notable exception if you do not encounter traffic faster than 80km/h).

So, when talking about the Vectrix, we are talking about the best EV currently available for sale in a large number of countries all over our lovely planet.

I don't believe a Tesla Roadster could be registered in Australia (or many other places) right away, let me know if I'm wrong.
I'll buy a lotto ticket and try to buy a Tesla Roadster if it's legal around here (and if I happen to win)!

So, if you want to do the right thing, then buy a Vectrix and keep it running with or without warranty! That's also the only way to keep Vectrix Corp. from going under, unless you have huge amounts of money at your disposal.

They (= Vectrix Corp.) might still go under, nevertheless, but if that happens, then there will be the many electrical engineers, pilots, engineers, dentists, nurses, doctors, welders, mechanics, ingenious tinkerers, do-gooders and dreamers, and many others just as capable, who have already bought a Vectrix; and they'd be working together to keep them going! They already are!

Of course, if it gets so bad on Planet Earth that the internet is down most of the time, then this sort of cooperation will be much more difficult, almost impossible. But under such circumstances it will also most likely be impossible to get a spare part for an ICE scooter or a regular ICE car. Or even a tank full of gas!

ICE scooters have so many moving parts that they are probably going to be out cold (ALL of them) before the last Vectrix Maxi stops running, even with it's first battery, if no spares were coming in for any of them.
.
Unfortunately, most Vectrix Maxi's will bite the dust much earlier, because of the insufficient battery management, blowing main fuses, blowing chargers, and frying motor controller boards.

But there are solutions for these problems. Fairly easy solutions!

The out-of-order-vectrixes might have to wait for their resuscitation for a while, because of the current lack of public knowledge about how to fix them; and particularly because of the lack of knowledge about the software needed to run them.

But all of that can be fixed. In my experience, the replies by the on-line EV community (who are supporting each other 24/365 around the world for FREE) are usually much faster, and often more competent, than the replies I got from any VAP (= Vectrix Authorised Person).

In a few months, there will be an increasing number of "Vectuxes" = "Vectrixes out of warranty", and then the whole thing will really start to fly. Vectrix Corp. might have gone bust (or might have boomed) by then, or might continue to just scrape by.

In any case, the VX1's built so far will probably become cherished collectors items, and worth a packet! I don't believe they are making any more of them at the moment!

It gets easier to do the right thing every day - what are you waiting for???

The Tesla Roadster is really the only alternative so far, if you want to buy an EV which can keep up with traffic so you will not put your life at risk more than necessary.

Hmmm, I beg to differ on that one. I think you reach a little too far with that. But, we can agree to differ. It does bug me a little though when folks talk about the Vectrix in terms of it being the ONLY viable EV. Especially when those folks likely haven't even tried the alternatives for themselves...

I have no issues with agreeing the Vectrix is the best in terms of features and quality right now. Is it the best "value for money"? - that is a subjective decision based on the individual circumstances of the customer.

I do have a problem propagating the idea it's the ONLY option right now. C'mon Mik, there's room in the market for all of us.

Just my terribly biased 2 cents worth.

Why not change the title to "Do you have cancer?" That would say the same thing but it take less typing to get your point across.

Anyhow, the last I read is that they expanded the dealer network at least in US considerably and that sales rate was growing which was good news. Still not sure if they were profitable.

Regarding the term "real EV alternatives". The definition of "real" is the sales and support angle. Can you buy one easily (IE not a test run with a limited lease /w no option to buy)? Can you get support and service easily? Is the company committed to EV (Not pressured to do it by politics/ enviro laws?) Sure there is lots of press about the future products, or stuff you can buy only in one state or sometimes only in one city, but that is it a real alternative for the general joe the plumber.

The only reason why I considered a Vectrix myself was because my local motorcycle shop began to sell and support the bike. So that is one big effort that Vectrix has been doing last year to get their sales up. I hope it works for them.

Regarding the term "real EV alternatives". The definition of "real" is the sales and support angle. Can you buy one easily (IE not a test run with a limited lease /w no option to buy)? Can you get support and service easily? Is the company committed to EV (Not pressured to do it by politics/ enviro laws?) Sure there is lots of press about the future products, or stuff you can buy only in one state or sometimes only in one city, but that is it a real alternative for the general joe the plumber.

The only reason why I considered a Vectrix myself was because my local motorcycle shop began to sell and support the bike. So that is one big effort that Vectrix has been doing last year to get their sales up. I hope it works for them.

I do agree that the common definition of real is that you can buy one and be riding it within a month (preferably less). But there are several other bikes in that definition of "real" (alas, not mine yet - but just wait until June 1st).

To include "the sales and support angle" in the definition of real is actually more about your personal definition of "real" (and a lot of other Vectrix owners too). The sales and support angle sure is nice, and sure is important - REV will be taking that part as seriously as well. However, as evidenced by the several other groups of folks who post on this forum, having your local M/C shop selling the bike is NOT the only way to go about EV ownership.

Why do I bang on this drum? It's because the more that Vectrix (and the Vectrix supporters) say "we're the ONLY ones" the more they work at crowding out the competition. Is that a good thing for a healthy EV market?

p.s. I'm not so naive as to expect Vectrix to change their advertising. They're in it to win. However, I'm not posting hoping that Vectrix will read this. I'm posting hoping that Vectrix owners who are quite rightly proud of their bike and their decision will quit pushing the line "the Vectrix is the only real EV bike" - it just ain't so!

I'm posting hoping that Vectrix owners who are quite rightly proud of their bike and their decision will quit pushing the line "the Vectrix is the only real EV bike" - it just ain't so!

Yes, it is! And not only the only EV bike, but the only EV I could buy where I live that allows me to flow with the traffic and therefore have a decent chance of survival.

The Tesla Roadster is really the only alternative so far, if you want to buy an EV which can keep up with traffic so you will not put your life at risk more than necessary.

Hmmm, I beg to differ on that one. I think you reach a little too far with that. But, we can agree to differ.

Why don't you just tell me the make and model if you differ on this point?

I'd be very interested in buying one!

Mik,

Sorry to hear you don't have access to other EVs in your little corner of the world but the facts are simply there are several other EVs available which can and do compete with the Vectrix. I do not own a manufactured EV but I have tested several including the Vectrix, which I was unimpressed with. This is of course my opinion just as you and JDH have yours. I think the only thing we can all agree on is we disagree. Because this is a world wide site we must remember we all have different opinions and different requirements for what we call a usable EV. The Vectrix is a fine machine however it is NOT a usable EV where I am concerned. Not enough speed or range. To meet your or my safety concerns for me it would have to travel 60 mph for a minimum of 50 miles. So far I have not found a manufactured EV that can.

Grandpa Chas S.

Mik,

Sorry to hear you don't have access to other EVs in your little corner of the world but the facts are simply there are several other EVs available which can and do compete with the Vectrix. I do not own a manufactured EV but I have tested several including the Vectrix, which I was unimpressed with. This is of course my opinion just as you and JDH have yours. I think the only thing we can all agree on is we disagree. Because this is a world wide site we must remember we all have different opinions and different requirements for what we call a usable EV. The Vectrix is a fine machine however it is NOT a usable EV where I am concerned. Not enough speed or range. To meet your or my safety concerns for me it would have to travel 60 mph for a minimum of 50 miles. So far I have not found a manufactured EV that can.

Grandpa Chas S.

There are about half a million people in my corner, the Gold coast in Aaustralia. And several million about 100km North, in Brisbane. Highway 1 runs through both, it goes all the way around Australia. It has a few km with 110km/h speed limit, everything else is 100km/h or below.

There are 60km/h service roads along the highway, so the 110km/h stretch can easily be avoided.

My requirements are not as high as yours, that's why the Vetrix, and only the Vectrix so far, can fulfill them.

I have a 4000km round trp to the nearest Vectrix dealer.

5 of the 6 public recharging power outlets which I lobbied for are always going unused, the Vectux is the only EV parked at this big employer so far. Loads of big bikes and scooters and a few small scooters, all ICE.

No bicycle way network worth mentioning, and a 200W legal limit for e-bikes!

What I (and others around here) need is a vehicle that can comfortably hold or exceed 80km/h on a 10% incline, and a range of 40km. Even 25km range would be fine if it can be used fully without battery damage.

Mik,

I hope you did not take offense to my post, after reading it again I must admit my choice of words "your little corner of the world" may not have come across as intended. I was only trying to say the world is a big place with lost of people. As I said we all have different needs and live in different areas and I am sorry your area does not choose to give you the choices other parts of the world have when it comes to EVs.

I think the Vectrix is a great first effort but I can see it can be improved upon to make a much better and more reliable vehicle. The first ICE vehicles had major problems as well and took several years to get them more reliable, and as far as I am concerned they still have room for improvement. As a matter of fact the ICE vehicles here is the US have slipped backwards a few years in technology. As an example; I have a 2003 auto which get better mileage than the same model of the auto for the year 2009. I get 38 mpg (16.15 Kilometers/Liter)and the 2009 version of the same auto gets 30 mpg (12.68 Kilometers/Liter). I do not understand where the mileage went.

Back to the topic;
I have several home built EVs that preform as good as or better than the majority of manufactured EVs but I can't say any of them could preform better than the Vectrix.

Grandpa Chas S.

The Tesla Roadster is really the only alternative so far, if you want to buy an EV which can keep up with traffic so you will not put your life at risk more than necessary.

Hmmm, I beg to differ on that one. I think you reach a little too far with that. But, we can agree to differ.

Why don't you just tell me the make and model if you differ on this point?

I'd be very interested in buying one!

Try the GPR-S by Electric Motorsport. $2K less expensive than a Vectrix. Maybe the Vectrix is the only bike available in Australia. But it's not the only bike available.

I'm posting hoping that Vectrix owners who are quite rightly proud of their bike and their decision will quit pushing the line "the Vectrix is the only real EV bike" - it just ain't so!

Yes, it is! And not only the only EV bike, but the only EV I could buy where I live that allows me to flow with the traffic and therefore have a decent chance of survival.

This is an international forum. If you're saying the Vectrix is the only internationally available bike then I'll take your word for it. However, there used to be an Australian guy around here that was working on safety certification of what looked like an EFun-D - I don't know how far he got with that.

But that's not what you said, nor what I disagreed with. Clearly the Vectrix is not the only EV bike available - and I'm surprised you'd stand behind such hyperbole. Furthermore, Vectrix will only sell (in the US at least) where there's a local dealer - hence it's not even nationally available in the USA. On the other hand the GPR-S is available at least in the lower 48 states of the US. Vectrix's advertising and their press releases often make it sound like there is no other EV bike. Not so.

There's no need to fight about it (heck, I'm not even "anti Vectrix") - but there's no way you can make the claim that the Vectrix is the only EV bike available.

In my quaint little rust-belt city, where one hardly ever needs to get on a freeway for any reason anyway (the last freeway built is a practically unused white elephant), my 75 kph modified e-max's are perfectly real EV bikes. Not everyone needs freeway performance. Indeed the whole green scooter lifestyle about is eschewing suburbia and freeways for the more interesting and bohemian hipster parts of town, so most prospective buyers don't need or want a lot of power.

But it would be nice to be less intimidated by the potholes and occasionally carry a passenger. With the addition of a BMS, the 5000li is plenty suitable for that at much lower cost than a Vectrix.

In Spain, the Vectrix is the only serious EV. The rest are all small chineese scooters, which are not highway legal.

I'm posting hoping that Vectrix owners who are quite rightly proud of their bike and their decision will quit pushing the line "the Vectrix is the only real EV bike" - it just ain't so!

Yes, it is! And not only the only EV bike, but the only EV I could buy where I live that allows me to flow with the traffic and therefore have a decent chance of survival.

This is an international forum. If you're saying the Vectrix is the only internationally available bike then I'll take your word for it.

I am in contact with Vectrix riders from Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, USA, Tasmania (HAHA), Australia, France, England, Scotland, in no particular order. Most likely I forgot a few, sorry guys (and the one girl!) Don't just take my word for it - look it up on V! Most of it was in public posts. You, JDH2550_1, sometimes chirp in when it suits you, like when I am bagging Vectrix (with test results, measurements, observations etc), but you don't like it if the other part of that truth is being spoken: That the Vectrix, despite it's problems, is the only widely available, registrable and highway-capable EV on planet earth at the moment!
And yes, V is an international forum!

However, there used to be an Australian guy around here that was working on safety certification of what looked like an EFun-D - I don't know how far he got with that.

The Efun does not meet my requirements for basic safety - the ability to keep up with traffic! Where I live, and in most other places on earth right now, you tend to get run over sooner or later if you cannot stay ahead of the moron in a hurry inside the car behind you!

But that's not what you said, nor what I disagreed with. Clearly the Vectrix is not the only EV bike available - and I'm surprised you'd stand behind such hyperbole.

It's you, JDH2550_1, who is behind the hyperbole!
I do admit that I made a mistake there - a slip of the keyboard so to say...
The mistake was to type these three words:

Yes, it is!

in reply to your misrepresentation of what I wrote.
I apologize, it will not happen again. I'll read your posts with more care...and answer more to-the point...
The hyperbole you accuse me of was all your own work, JDH2550_1, not mine. I did not claim such a thing, you did read that into my posts, but it was not there. I checked.
Everything I wrote in regards to the Vectrix being the best available EV, or at least EV-scooter, was clearly specified, each time within the same sentence! It was you, JDH2550_1, who chose to ignore the specification within the same sentence, and you misrepresented what I wrote with these words:

"I'm posting hoping that Vectrix owners who are quite rightly proud of their bike and their decision will quit pushing the line "the Vectrix is the only real EV bike" - it just ain't so!

I never wrote this! These words are yours, JDH2550_1 !

Furthermore, Vectrix will only sell (in the US at least) where there's a local dealer - hence it's not even nationally available in the USA. On the other hand the GPR-S is available at least in the lower 48 states of the US.

Before posting this, I did of course try to catch up, just in case you were right with your claims.
I read the entirety of the one owner post on the GPR-S which is available on V, and also the second available GPR-S owner report available somewhere else on the web.

You, JDH2550_1, gotta be joking to bring this forward as your only trump in your marketing efforts against the Vectrix?
I really, really don't mean to offend the two GPR-S owners. who took the time and effort to tell us about their experience, or the builders/makers of the GPR-S; not in the slightest. Quite the contrary, I applaud their business model, in which they apparently avoid a big hullabaloo before they have a working EV to sell, and I applaud that they have put a stop to sales whilst they are trying to work out a BMS for the bike.
Hopefully they have it all worked out by now, maybe that's why the GPR-S owner report number two came in just a few days ago. Maybe they are actually selling again, but for the last few months they have not been selling, according to the owner report.
Details can be found at: http://visforvoltage.org/forum/5400-gprs
(It would be nice if the moderators could make this GPR-S thread visible in the Home » Forums » Electric Rides » Motorcycles and Large Scooters section. It's there, but invisible unless I use the search function.)

It sure sounds like the GPR-S would not be available anywhere else than in a few, select locations in the USA for now. Sounds like they are doing a good job just selling a few bikes for a kind of beta-testing ( the issues being worked on seem to be a BMS and a charger – hardly a mature and widely available product! But hopefully a great bike once it is actually available!

So the ball is back in your court, JDH2550_1, what are all the other EV's that meet my basic requirement of being able to flow with traffic and are available for sale and registrable?

To save you some time, here are the relevant excerpt from what I wrote above in this thread – there is no claim there that the Vectrix is the only EV, and it is hardly an uncritical ad, either:

They claimed (unbelievably) good specs (because some of them were just lies!), but it was undoubtedly the best EV money could buy at the time.

As far as I can see, the Vectrix is STILL the best electric scooter money can buy. Maybe even the best production EV money can buy.
The Tesla Roadster is really the only alternative so far, if you want to buy an EV which can keep up with traffic so you will not put your life at risk more than necessary.
(The Twike might be the notable exception if you do not encounter traffic faster than 80km/h).
So, when talking about the Vectrix, we are talking about the best EV currently available for sale in a large number of countries all over our lovely planet.

Unfortunately, most Vectrix Maxi's will bite the dust much earlier, because of the insufficient battery management, blowing main fuses, blowing chargers, and frying motor controller boards.
But there are solutions for these problems. Fairly easy solutions!
The out-of-order-vectrixes might have to wait for their resuscitation for a while, because of the current lack of public knowledge about how to fix them; and particularly because of the lack of knowledge about the software needed to run them.
But all of that can be fixed. In my experience, the replies by the on-line EV community (who are supporting each other 24/365 around the world for FREE) are usually much faster, and often more competent, than the replies I got from any VAP (= Vectrix Authorised Person).
In a few months, there will be an increasing number of "Vectuxes" = "Vectrixes out of warranty", and then the whole thing will really start to fly. Vectrix Corp. might have gone bust (or might have boomed) by then, or might continue to just scrape by.
In any case, the VX1's built so far will probably become cherished collectors items, and worth a packet! I don't believe they are making any more of them at the moment!

My requirements are not as high as yours, that's why the Vetrix, and only the Vectrix so far, can fulfill them.

What I (and others around here) need is a vehicle that can comfortably hold or exceed 80km/h on a 10% incline, and a range of 40km. Even 25km range would be fine if it can be used fully without battery damage.

To sum it up, only the Vectrix can do this, is legally registrable and currently available for sale where I live.
And I'm sure that is the same for millions and millions and millions of people in many other countries.

Mik,

I hope you did not take offense to my post, after reading it again I must admit my choice of words "your little corner of the world" may not have come across as intended.
Grandpa Chas S.

No worries, you just got caught in a bit of crossfire there...

Why not change the title to "Do you have cancer?" That would say the same thing but it take less typing to get your point across.

Most cancers are curable, particularly if they are not being ignored for too long!

Regarding the term "real EV alternatives". The definition of "real" is the sales and support angle. Can you buy one easily (IE not a test run with a limited lease /w no option to buy)? Can you get support and service easily?

I don't see it so narrow - the Vectux has had no support or service by Vectrix since over 9 months. And it is very real to me!

Wow, I really angered you didn't I? Really, I didn't mean to. So, I apologize. If I didn't anger you then you seem very aggressive in your answers. Perhaps I'm oversensitive. Again, I apologize for my side of this.

Now, I really should leave it at that. But...

Just like I seem to be missing your point you seem to be missing mine. Interestingly not once have you mentioned the fact that I've said often that the Vectrix is the best bike out there right now. We just disagree that it's the "only one".

BTW, the hyperbole that I refer to is what I first quoted:

The Tesla Roadster is really the only alternative so far, if you want to buy an EV which can keep up with traffic so you will not put your life at risk more than necessary.

And that's based on this definition of hyperbole from dictionary.com:

hy⋅per⋅bo⋅le
   –noun Rhetoric.
1. obvious and intentional exaggeration.

The hyperbole is:
(a) that a $100K Tesla is the only other viable EV alternative
(b) that there are no other highway capable bikes
(c) the implicit suggestion that anybody riding an EV bike other than a Vectrix has some sort of a deathwish.

Puhleaze! :O :?

OK - you may not like me, you may love your Vectrix / Vectux. I applaud you - no, I really do. As for me "dropping in when it suits me" this is a public forum for crying out loud. Am I supposed to ask for permission first? I post regularly on several topics. To somehow define this as some sort of negative or anti-community or anti-Vectrix behavior seems like a reach.

Some other responses to various stuff you've raised:
(a) I'm not bashing the Vectrix. I never have. If folks want to buy a BMW rather than a Ford more power to them.
(b) The GPR-S was advertised for at least a year before it became a reality. I'm not knocking them - but they too went to market far earlier than when the product was available.
(c) The stuff I mention on these forums about my product:
(i) is because some folks around here like to hear about new bikes
(ii) to gain valuable feedback from folks around here during the engineering process
(iii) yes, to publicize the fact that we're making a bike that we think will be great
(iv) I've never asked for any money, or down payment
(v) basically I post because I'm enthusiastic and I'm proud about what I'm doing - just like you are.
(d) OK, try an XM-5000Li.

Have you ever ridden or driven an EV other than a Vectrix?

oops, there goes another bucket of gasoline. I really should remember it's supposed to be water not gas

Why can't we be friends? I argue with my friends all the time - some of them prefer lager others bitter. Some prefer 4 cylinders and turbochargers others V8s. Some NASCAR, some F1. The world is full of differences but the Vectrix and Tesla STILL aren't the only viable EVs out there (nor will they ever be).

But, this isn't war. No one is dying. So, how about we all just have some fun?

It's not that we cannot be friends - it's just that I happen to know that what I said is true! And it angers me that I fell for the marketing hype and had to spend hundreds of hours reworking the Vectux, mainly because of the incompetence of the Vectrix Australia staff member back then.

It angers me more when others say that I could have or should have just bought some other EV. I could not have done that, and still cannot. Even on the Vectrix and in my car I get morons passing me in a dangerous fashion most days when I stick to the 80km/h speed limit. And I do account for the likely speedometer miscalibration of 5 to 10km/h....

They easily go 100km/h and above on this relatively narrow, curvy and undulating road without any side strips to get out of their way.

And I have lived and travelled in many countries, it's like that in many places!

You need at least the grunt of a 250cc motorbike or a Vectrix to have a reasonable chance.

Regarding the XM 5000Li : I don't need to read first to answer this one, because I have followed the reports.

They have no BMS, which is generally seen as absolutely essential for Lithium batteries.
Installing a BMS voids the warranty.
Now the reports about minor details like incorrect mounting of disk brakes start to come in....
And you cannot register them in many places. It will take many hours and thousands of dollars for importers to gain general compliance ratings for these bikes, once the worst bugs are ironed out.

Apart from toys I have not ridden or driven any EV's, except for trams and trains. That's the point! I've seen one bicycle with electric hub motor and one electric moped around here, (it seems to have a top speed of about 25km/h and does not like rain very much.)

But I have read extensively on the subject, including your comparison between different models, in which you left out the important part: The acceleration from 60km/h to 100km/h or above. That's what you need to get onto a highway, freeway, or in my case, just an average country road!

So, apart from the Tesla (and the Twike if only 80km/h is needed), what else is there at the moment that can flow with the traffic and has an electric motor?

For safety reasons I should actually say: An EV that can accelerate quickly to flow with the prevalent car traffic".

And I'm not saying that people on other EV's have a death wish - I just hope that they have the sense to stay off the kind of roads which I have to take each day to get to work; it would be too dangerous!
Of course, in places where there are bike ways and lower speed roads to choose from, many other currently available EV's have the capability to cope with that.

EDIT on 2009-02-28:

Seems like the GPR-S is in fact now available:

See this post: http://visforvoltage.org/forum/5780-xm5000li-vs-vectrix-seems-nobrainer-what-am-i-missing#comment-34700

I have also been to visit Todd at Electric Motorsports recently. The GPR-S is a nice light sports bike. By the way he has six of those units available for sale right now. He is putting BMS in all the GPR-S he ships now.

That's great!

EMS has shipped around 50 of the GPR-S thus far, according to Todd. He's also working on a more robust bike using the same frame but with 72 or 84 volt battery, brake regen and a SEPX motor. He says it should outperform the Vectrix on all accounts. It was still on the work stand when I was there a couple of weeks ago. I'm going up to the Bay Area in the middle of March and he thought it would be ready to test ride then. I'll let you know.

Vectrix has suffered two lay-offs in the last year. Remaining employees are working for 80% pay, four days a week (80% work). Bikes in the US are not selling. The warehouse is full and the factory is now all but shut down. It is impossible to sell a $10K electric bike with a 45 mile range next to a $5K gas scooter that gets 75MPG. Vectrix' solution is to import a Chinese made, low quality, E-max with a Vectrix headlight and taillight and sell it for $5K (VX2). Vectrix is about out of cash. It is a simple matter of time now. Do the math. Unless a miracle investor is found, Vectrix is toast.

Perhaps if the company would pull the tooling back to the US and build low volume from its New Bedford facility, then Vectrix could perform better at lower cost and maybe reduce the price of the VX1 to be competitive. Even then, it may be too little too late.

I wish everybody would quit ragging on the OP for posting this. It's a valid topic and concern. But I'm not really worried about it and I'll tell you why...

Even if Vectrix goes belly-up, the bike is going to become an instant classic. Think of the EV1 (had it not been destroyed, or maybe the Rav-4 EV (or whatever that little SUV was). These things sell for more now than when they were first sold to the public (after their service). They still demand much interest and are very popular. If anything, I'd be in a hurry to grab a Vectrix if they put them on liquidation sale.

The only thing that would ruin the collectability would be if someone else (like Honda or Yamaha) manages to successfully release a similar EV bike and make it economically viable. And if they really planned to do that... they'll probably buy Vectrix and market it anyway. :-)

... if someone else (like Honda or Yamaha) ...

Hey! Why only Honda or Yamaha? Give a new brand a chance... ;-)