Pedelecs are trendy, but they also cost a lot of money. If an electric scooter like the Nova Motors Inoa Sli5 50 comes around the corner, which is not much more expensive, it should definitely be tested. And indeed, the single-track electric vehicle from Eppingen has a lot to offer.
Germans now spend an average of over 2,800 euros on a new pedelec. A lot of money for a bike with an auxiliary motor. A technically more sophisticated, faster and in some cases also cheaper alternative can be e-scooters. Not the small kick scooters, but the ones that you sit on, with a helmet and license plate obligation. One such is the Inoa Sli5 50 from scooter and e-mobile dealer Nova Motors. The single-track electric vehicle, which is suitable for holders of an AM driver’s license, offers a few other niceties for a slim 2600 euros in addition to a powerful drive and decent range.
This price even includes the transport of the scooter to the customer’s desired address. This is exactly how the test copy was delivered, to which the protective film from the factory was still stuck. After these were removed, the supplied mirrors and the insurance license plate were installed, the Inoa was ready for use. Before driving off, the “ignition key” must be turned and the P button on the right handlebar grip must be pressed. Silent as a mouse, the Inoa roams away at the first gas command.
The drive is not only silent, but pleasantly lively. The 60-volt machine from Bosch integrated in the rear wheel provides a powerful 4 hp. Like the scooter, the test driver also weighs just over 90 kilograms, which makes little impression on the propulsion. It takes a little over 10 seconds to reach the maximum 45 km/h. If the battery is full, the digital speedometer occasionally even shows 50 km/h on a flat surface. You can also do 1 to 2 km/h more downhill, while the speed can drop below 40 km/h uphill. As usual in the 50 class, 45 km/h are the norm.
Until then you can keep up with the cars. But the other road users are usually faster and occasionally react irritated when they have to follow. It would be nice if environmentally friendly mopeds like the Inoa were allowed to drive a little faster, but the legislator has put an electronic stop to this – to the chagrin of many road users.
A moderate speed is of course good for the range. According to Nova Motors, the basic version with a 1.4 kWh single battery weighing around 10 kilograms can cover 60 kilometers. A second power storage unit, which doubles the range, costs an additional 600 euros. In the test, in summer weather, the Inoa managed a little over 50 kilometers with one battery charge. With the second battery it should then be possible to cover more than 100 kilometers purely arithmetically. The energy costs for 100 kilometers are – 36 cents per kilowatt hour and charging at the household socket – at one euro. Recharging the removable batteries takes about five hours on the supplied charger.
A fully charged battery can cover more than 50 kilometers, but as the battery level decreases, it becomes increasingly difficult to reach the maximum speed of 45 km/h. If the level is very low, it is regulated down even further. If the digital display shows 0 percent, you can still drive a few 100 meters at a good 10 km/h. Normally, however, you switch to the second battery much earlier. To do this, you have to stop briefly, fold up the seat and pull the power cable from the empty battery to connect it to the second battery. It would be more convenient if both batteries were wired in parallel, such as with the new Yamaha Neo’s, which costs a good 1000 euros more than the Sli5 50 with two batteries.
In terms of ergonomics, the Sli5 is more recommended for small than for large drivers. Although handy, the Inoa is not a virtuoso curve artist. Driving through left-right combinations is exhilarating, but not ambitious. The chassis with its small 12-inch wheels sometimes reacts harshly to bumps. The disc brakes on the front and rear wheels do their job satisfactorily. The generously sized display is not always easy to read in direct sunlight. Although the scooter makes a decent impression overall, the quality leaves room for improvement in the details. In the first few days, we found the vapors from the plastic and rubber parts to be even annoying.
Although not everything on the Sli5 is of high quality, the equipment is impressive. The basic version offers an immobilizer with an alarm function, which can be activated with a remote control integrated in the ignition key. There is a small storage compartment for a smartphone in the leg shield, which can be fed with power from the traction battery via a USB cable. LED lights all around, fold-out footrests for the pillion passenger, a luggage hook and a main and side stand round off the equipment package.
The driver can also connect his mobile phone to a Bluetooth loudspeaker integrated in the scooter and listen to stored or streamed music via the sound module. However, this simple connectivity solution does not offer more options. In particular, the scooter should arouse the interest of young users, for whom the Sli5 50 should also be interesting in terms of price.