Less than €1,500 gets you an Ugo electric scooter and a relatively clear conscience.
The Chinese-built electric moped has no emissions, as there is no exhaust pipe needed.
The near-silent machine has a top speed of 45kp/h, although with a good tailwind and a slope you can reach higher speeds - the opposite also applies.
Power comes from an electric motor that uses a conventional lead acid battery (albeit in three parts) as its power source.
The importers say the scooter has a range of up to 65km but for stop-start driving with a hill or two thrown in 50km is a more realistic range between full charges.
Motors took the Ugo for a brief test ride and found it underpowered, but lighter riders using flatter terrain could find it adequate.
The upside is the moped has no emissions and is cheap to charge; the downside is that you have to plug it in to the mains to charge it (with a kettle lead) and if you run out of juice you're stuck.
Thankfully the Ugo, which comes with a one-year guarantee, is light enough to push home.
More details can be found at: www.ugo.ie, where test rides and purchases can be made.
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