Choosing Which Citycoco is Best for You (Part One)

We’ve tried to put together the best guide to purchasing a citycoco. In this first part we go through the key factors to consider when choosing which model to buy. In the second part we will look at the main model types and who they are most appropriate for.

Road legal or not?

This is a key decision that makes a significant difference in which model you choose. If you are not interested in registering the citycoco with the DVLA to make it road legal, you have complete freedom to purchase any model, including those that are on the cheaper end of the market.

In contrast if you want to get a road legal citycoco it is worth making sure you purchase one that comes either pre-registered (saving you the paperwork) or with a European Certificate of Conformity. You can get one without a Certificate of Conformity and go the MSVA route, but this will likely work out as far more hassle and expense than purchasing a citycoco with a Certificate of Conformity. If you do go the MVSA route, make sure to purchase one a citycoco that will pass inspection (i.e. has mirrors, indicators, brake lights etc).

Swappable Batteries

Some models come with a built in battery, whilst most feature one (or more) removable batteries. We would generally strongly recommend removable batteries unless you are trying to save on price as much as possible. Built in batteries make it  difficult to charge, lead to battery damage (assuming the citycoco is left outside in the winter) and limit the life of the citycoco as the battery degrades over time (unless the battery is easy to replace).

Removable batteries also make it far easier to extend the range through a second battery or to extend the range by charging whilst away from home (e.g. at a coffee shop).

Range

Only you know the range you need for your citycoco, but there are a few things worth mentioning.

Listed manufacturer ranges are so variable (and often exaggerated) that there is little point taking them seriously. It is much better to estimate ranges based on battery sizes, with the same battery size getting pretty similar ranges across different models.

As a rule of thumb a 60V 12Ah battery will take a 70kg rider 25-35 miles at constant speed of 12mph, or 12-15 miles at 30mph. A 60V 20Ah battery will take the same rider 45-55 miles at 12mph or 20-25 miles at 30mph. However real world distances will likely be significantly lower than this depending on how much you brake and accelerate. There is also an issue where sellers will lie about the size of the batteries, we have often seen 11-14Ah batteries being sold as 20Ah.

Battery capacities decline over time. This is part of the natural aging process of batteries, as they are used (and over time) they will lose 10%-20% of their total capacity.

Given these factors it is probably worth getting a citycoco with a slightly larger range than you initially want. Some models have space for two batteries, this can give you the flexibility to purchase a second battery later if you need the additional range.

Top speed/power

Power numbers quoted by sellers and manufacturers are often incorrect and there isn’t really a clear definition of what the power number refers to. Is a 2000W motor a motor that has a peak power of 2000W or one that can consistently output 2000W for a period of time? How long?

Generally then it is better to go by top speed numbers as these are harder to fake and more comparable across sellers and manufacturers. Just remember that you may want to go for a top speed higher than you will normally use, as it may take some time to get to the top speed and a higher top speed will generally mean faster acceleration and better performance on hills.

Support

It is worth considering the support available if something were to go wrong with your citycoco, and more generally the availability of parts and spares. Less common models will be harder to find parts for in the future and sellers that only sell scooters (and no parts) mean that spares (brakepads, brake discs etc) and repairs will be more difficult to source. Warranties are a good indicator that the seller or manufacturer stands behind their product.

In the second part (coming soon) we will look at how these factors combine together to find the most suitable citycoco for you.