The 70s: although presented as fashionable and the way to a clean, green future, pedalable electric mini-mopeds never really caught on.
Partly inspired by the youthful moped craze of previous decades, a mini-rash of models include the Solo Electra, the Flandria-Electro and the Zundapp Electro-Mofa. Ranging from 48 to 67kg in weight, they all belong in a class of vehicle subject to a legal speed cap of 25km/h. The French magazine Moto-Revue spells out the more advantageous German laws for such vehicles, but goes on to outline some interesting possible uses: ‘..on the other side of the Rhine (i.e. Germany) the Electra falls into the ‘Mofa’ class (cyclemotors limited to 25km/h) where it is perfectly competitive. In France, because of the 40km/h cyclemotor limit, the Solo will be seriously handicapped with its 25km/h limit. On the other hand, its silence and cleanliness give it a privileged place for use inside (factories, stations, exhibition halls, warehouses) or in areas normally forbidden to motor traffic.’
[From page 26 of the book]
