EGO REVIEW

EV Finder test ride of the eGO II

On Sunday May 4, 2003 I attended the Carlsbad Village Faire in Carlsbad, CA.  Along with the many stalls selling arts and crafts was a display of electric vehicles.  Dave Cutter of Pleiades Enterprises, an eGo dealer, was there with a display of eGo IIs which he gave me the opportunity to test ride.

I have to say that I was quite surprised when I saw the eGo II.  I had only seen pictures before and it always seemed kind of "dorky" to me.  However, when I saw the real think it didn't look "dorky" at all; it actually looked quite cool.

The one I test rode also came with a trailer which gives the eGo the ability to haul around loads of stuff.  Dave had the trailer piled with brochures and such but the added weight didn't seem to slow down the eGo at all.

When I sat on the eGo the first thing I noticed was the seat.  It was really quite uncomfortable.   I am quite short and the seat was adjusted just a little too high for me so I was basically supporting the scooter on tiptoes.  I am sure this made the seat feel more uncomfortable that it would have been when properly adjusted.  Still, Dave told me that there is an optional larger seat which I would strongly recommend.

Starting the eGo is easy, turn the key to the on position and twist the throttle and away you go.  Throttle control was very precise and I was able to move away at low speed without any problems.  The high torque of the electric motor can cause electric vehicles to surge when the throttle is opened but I didn't notice that on the eGo II.  I did feel a little shaky when I first started to ride.  I think that this was a combination of the seat adjustment and the fact that I haven't ridden much in the last 30 years.

However, when I opened the throttle wide the eGo accelerated up to its top speed of around 20mph quickly.  The ride was a joy and, all too quickly, I was at the end of the alleyway.  Closing the throttle kicks in the regenerative braking.  I have heard that the regen on the eGo I was a little too abrupt but the eGo II slowed down smoothly and I hardly had to touch the brakes.

I was able to turn around in the alleyway with no problem, even with the trailer attached, and I started back down the alley at a slow speed to stretch out the ride as much as possible.  The ride was unexpectedly smooth as the suspension on the eGo seemed to handle the bumps with no problem.  At the end of my ride I once again let the regen slow me down and then came to a complete stop with just a touch on the brakes.  I set the scooter on its kick stand and reluctantly turned it back over to Dave.

If you can live with the 20mph top speed, a price tag currently below $1500, makes this a really good buy.  The only thing that I didn't like about this scooter was the uncomfortable saddle.   I know of several people who have replaced the factory saddle with a more comfortable bike saddle, and I would recommend this if you plan on riding the eGo a lot.