Penny-per-mile new electric commuter. But is it any good?
The Horwin CR6 is a stylish city slicker that’ll propel you at a penny-per-mile
This scramblerish-styled electric commuter is a Horwin CR6: Austrian designed; Chinese-made. It costs a shade over five grand, road tax is free and fuel costs are as low as a penny a mile. Imported into the UK by Artisan Electric (www.artisanscooter.co.uk), it’s an intriguing take on solving the electric puzzle. So, what do you get for your £5047?
Silent but not violent
Horwin claim the CR6’s air-cooled electric motor makes just 8bhp, or little more than half a typical 125cc petrol bike. Flat-out it’ll show 60mph on its digital speedo, though that proves to be a true GPS-tested 54mph. So, while it can nibble away at empty backroads, the Horwin’s primary purpose is nipping around town. Off the line it’s pretty brisk and willing, aided by being twist-and-go – no gears or clutch to interrupt things – with a smooth, eager delivery low-down. But take Horwin’s outrageous torque claim (around 200lb.ft) with a whole ocean of salt: that’s rated at the rear-wheel axle after being multiplied by gearing, giving a massively misleading implication of gruntiness. The motor itself actually makes 30lb.ft. On an open road it won’t keep with a sporty 125, but in the city the CR6 is plenty quick enough and incredibly easy with it.
Can it go the distance?
One charge of the 3.96kWh Panasonic lithium-ion battery will last 90 miles, reckon Horwin in their sales spiel. Spoiler alert: it won’t. Importers Artisan claim a more modest 60 miles, in line with our experience when sticking resolutely to 30mph. Ride flat-out, however, and range halves to a little over 30 miles. These numbers don’t look great, but remember this is conceived as a city commuter and the whole of central London is only 15 miles across. Recharging needs nothing fancier than a standard three-pin household socket, with flat-to-full taking four hours and costing just 60p.
Easy does it
The CR6 is slim, narrow, low and unintimidating – ignore the wayout 870mm claimed seat height, it’s 820mm at most – yet the riding position isn’t cramped for a 5ft 9in rider. At 134kg it’s lighter than a KTM 125 Duke, the turning circle feels trials-bike tight and superb low-speed balance makes fulllock figure-of-eights easy. Brakes, suspension and tyres are basic but give a fair ride. It jingles a cheery tune when you turn it on or off, an alarm is standard and the ignition can be turned on keylessly – though that’s undermined by needing the key to undo the steering lock…