Vectrix: Gone?

I noticed a lot of hits on my previous posts about the Vectrix electric scooter, so I thought it would be worth checking in on the Middletown, R.I. based company.

As you may have seen elsewhere, the company has laid off almost all its staff and shut down its Web site. Vectrix says this is an attempt to conserve cash and postpone a bankruptcy filing, the company hoping for a merger or buyout in the next 30 days.

As we’ve seen with Chrysler and GM, this doesn’t have to mean the company is going out of business. Filing under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code gives a company breathing space from its creditors, so it can come up with a way to either get back on its feet or go out of business gently.

What does this mean if you own a Vectrix? I’m guessing you (and your dealer) are on your own. Since manufacturers of motor vehicles usually buy the little doodads (wheel bearings, turn signal relays, etc.) from third parties, you’re probably okay there. But if the powertrain fails, or you drop it, you’re probably outta luck, or you will be when your dealer’s spare-parts inventory is depleted.

If I had a Vectrix, I’d hang onto it, if for no other reason than nobody would be interested in buying it at anything above a rock-bottom price. If it still works, you can still use it. Kinda like a Daewoo Leganza.

If I were thinking of buying one, I’d wait to see how this whole thing plays out. But there’s that part about being on your own. Maybe no warranty, possibly no dealer support, theoretically nobody to fix it if it breaks.

However, there is still the matter of the viability of the electric scooter concept. I really can’t see spending nine grand for a bike I could only ride to work and back (assuming that distance is within the battery range) when for less money I could get a Suzuki Burgman 650 (top speed over 100 mph, 75 mpg) I could ride just about anywhere, and refuel in two minutes, vs. two hours for a battery charge for the Vectrix.

Then there’s the matter of the increased demand for electricity a large number of electric vehicles would create, and the manufacture and disposal of batteries, which contain all kinds of noxious stuff. How exactly is that “green?”

It wouldn’t take much for an electric scooter to become practical. The PX would go 130 miles on a fillup, and had a comfortable cruising speed of 40 mph, give or take. Most 50cc scooters have equal performance. An electric scooter with the same performance would find a large audience, and in time the price would probably drop to somewhere near the 50’s. But we’re not quite there yet…

UPDATE: 2strokebuzz has more on this story.

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