Does anyone have any advice for registering a Vectrix with the CA DMV. I went to the DMV today and they wanted some kind of certification from Vectrix that showed the bike was legal for California.
Very frustrating dealing with the DMV as they really don't have much experience with the Vectrix.
California Registration Problem
Wed, 08/06/2008 - 14:29
#1
California Registration Problem
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I would contact the dealer that sold you your Vectrix. They should be able to help you sort things out with the DMV.
I bought it from a dealer in Utah, so they couldn't register it for me.
The problem has to do with the lack of a Federal Decal on the Vectrix.
I know that there have been many registered in California.
I was wondering if anyone else had problems.
I had trouble registering the EVT 4000e as a Moped. The little town I live in, Round Rock, the Tax Assessor office was not up-to-date with EV alternatives last year. I went to the dealer and they suggested a Title Company in Austin. They refer all their customers to them. I would suggest asking your Dealer whom he would recommend. When I got the Vectrix, i just went straight to that company again and it was no problem... in Texas...
I would have thought CA would have been all over EV's and wouldn't be a problem...
Good Luck
My suggestion would be to contact any Florida Vectrix dealer and tell them to help you to register the vehicle.
I'm afraid I don't have much advice for you, but I can tell you that it is possible to register a Vectrix in California. My registration and plates just arrived. This was all done through my dealer (California based) who has sold quite a few of these and knows how to get the registration filled out correctly.
For example, another member was having problems in Florida because he did not fill out a value for how many CC's the cycle had. The California DMV has the same issue. CC's is a mandatory field. But it doesn't really matter. Just make up a value.
The number does not make any difference. Mine was made out as 50cc. If it makes you feel better, say 200cc. Same thing applied to my insurance. They needed some indication as to how powerful the bike is and currently that is only measured in cubic centimeters of displacement.
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larry
The trouble with making it all up (cc's etc) is that notwithstanding either organisation may well accept any figure, there can be serious issues down the line, the most important of these being the insurer declining to settle a claim because the cc stated was either inaccurate or invalid. Sure, you were trying to be helpful, but guys don't see it that way.
In the UK our DMV (the national DVLA) actually classifies the Vectrix as 3Kw Electric Motorbike. If the UK can do it, so can the US. Of course in the UK where a bike has to pay 100 tax each year for the right to use the road system, electric bikes get this free, so were hardly likely to make up a cc and pay 100 if we can get it all for 0!
- Raymond
Thanks for all your input. Finally got it resolved today. If you bought through a CA dealer they do it for you.
I had to call the head office and talk to the technical compliance dept to get them to send a memo to the local offices.
Future out of state buyers shouldn't have a problem.
Scott
Out of curiosity, was an arbitrary cc's number used as suggested, or was the progressive state of California able to modify its rules/laws to formally accomodate an electric scooter?
There is a letter from Vectrix about this issue. I have a copy of it, however it is a PDF that is too large (6mb) to be posted. It explains the vehicle certification and states the Vectrix should be classified as a 125 CC scooter for licensing purposes. I also have the VIN breakdown for '07 and '08 but again too large to post. If you need a copy of either, contract Vectrix and they will e-mail it to you.