The Flying Flea (and what Journalists get wrong)

Long term readers of my blog will know I've had a lengthy interest in two wheeled machines and even 2 wheeled EV type machines. So it should come as no surprise that I'm quite interested in the Flying Flea by Royal Enfield.

I don't want to get into the comparison with the original (read a bit about that here).

but you'll also know (dear reader) that I have an interest in motorcycles, including classice old style ones like my SR500

... which is of course an internal combustion engine type not an EV.

Also I've written more than a few articles where I dive into the energy consumption per distance travelled and found interestnig things with ranges in various conditions from

• 2.8kWh per 100km (see test)
• 1.2kWh/100km (see test)
• and 2.8kWh/100km (see test)

so you can see that a stand up scooter with little wheels the idea of getting 2kWh/100 is not absurd, so when these articles seem skeptical about the Fleas claims; for instance NewAtlas writes

Which given the 3.9kWh battery  suggests that over the100km range is entirely possible >> if you consider the reality of city driving in India << and drive according to the commuting reality there ...

where you won't be doing 60kmh that much.

Personally I'm keen to see one, but the reality of my location and the pernicious Queensland registration costs are that I'm unlikely to buy one because I can't really use it much here. If I lived in a more sizable town (like Warwick, or back where I came from on The Gold Coast) it would be perfect, but here in my town I prefer my electric scooter or my bicycle.

A pity really; but who knows I might try to justify it.