MO is the way to go

Sales of two-wheelers are going strongly. In February the numbers were up 81 per cent on the same period in 2021 and that’s not just scooters for delivering pizzas – demand for big adventure bikes has shot up even more.

Also rapidly expanding are sales of electric motorcycles and scooters. Not surprising as they make a lot of sense. And, after riding around on this Seat MO for a week, you can count me as a convert.

Seat doesn’t make the MO itself, the machine is built by Italian company Silence (you can also buy a Silence version in the UK called the SO:2) and all Seat does is add its name badges.

Twenty-four Seat dealers will be able to sell you an MO for £5,800 including the government grant for electric two-wheelers. When Seat launched the MO the grant was £1,500 but in its all-words-and-noaction approach to electrification the Government has slashed it to £500.

The MO has a 9kw electric motor which is the equivalent of 12bhp. That’s about the power output of a petrol 125cc scooter meaning you’ll need the minimum of an A1 licence.

Power comes from a 5.6kwh battery – which is the clever bit about the MO and the main reason I like the machine so much.

The battery can be removed from the scooter so you can take it inside your home and charge it overnight from a domestic socket.

Not only does this get around the issue of not having off-street parking but it is also removing a massive amount of value from the machine which hopefully deters thieves.

The battery’s weight of 40kg is not an issue as it slides out neatly to rest on wheels and has an extendable handle like an airline wheelie bag. You can also charge the battery in-situ if you have a garage or secure parking. Charging itself takes between 6-8 hours from a domestic socket. You can’t fast charge the MO, it’s a three-pin plug or nothing.

The motor is actually in the rear wheel which leaves space for the battery and also enough storage for two helmets.

Riding the MO is very easy. There’s a conventional twist grip on the right-hand handlebar, a front brake lever on the right bar; rear brake on the left-hand bar. To start, you squeeze the rear brake lever and select the mode you want to ride off in. There are three to choose from: Eco, City and Sport.

Maximum range is quoted as 85 miles, but even in Sport 60 miles is possible. That’s more than adequate for a machine that will spend most of its life in town.

When driving electric cars I rarely use Sport mode as it savages range and isn’t necessary. With the MO, however, that’s the mode I most often used. As I said, the motor is the equivalent of a 125cc petrol engine –

but in Sport the MO feels far quicker.

The centre of gravity is low and it’s very easy to handle. If you’ve ridden a bicycle you’ll have no problem with this.

It’s not a cheap machine and is seriously undercut on price by petrol scooters, but if you feel strongly about cutting your carbon footprint and about air quality in urban areas you’ll live with that.

Also, whatever emissions zones are put into place in cities, you’ll be able to ride your Seat MO.