With Statista data stating that 11,661 scooters and mopeds were sold in the UK between January 2020 and August 2021, more and more people are making the decision to switch from cars to mopeds. They are ideal for city living, but for many eco-conscious commuters, they want electric mopeds. The global electric two-wheeler market is set to grow to 55 million in sales by 2024, showing that the smart choice for many city commuters is an electric moped. But who can ride a moped in the UK?
What you need to ride a moped
Depending on when you got your driving licence, you could be qualified to ride a moped right now. If you passed your practical driving test before the 1st of February 2001, you can ride a moped (up to 50cc) without any further training needed.
However, if you didn’t, you will need to take Compulsory Basic Training (CBT). This course ensures that you can ride safely on your own while you practise for your full moped or motorcycle test. Once you’ve completed the course, you can ride a moped (if 16 or over) or a motorcycle up to 125cc and with a power output of up to 11kW (if 17 or over), with L plates in the UK and L or D plates in wales. This gives you 2 years to pass your full moped or motorcycle test, or take the CBT course again.
Although the Government website informs us that “CBT is not a test that you pass or fail”, there are statistics on the pass rates. For the 2021/2022 year, the pass rate was 73.1%, equating to 12,746 passes.
With over 40 million UK residents holding a full driving licence (as of 16th of October 2021), there are plenty of people out there who could be making the switch to an electric moped instead. If all licence holders were to take the CBT with a pass rate of 73.1%, approximately 29,186,928 could be riding an electric moped on the roads and saving money.
| Full UK Licences Held | Total Licence Holders |
|---|---|
| Full UK Licences Held by Men (16th October 2021) | 21,957,511 |
| Full UK Licences Held by Women (16th October 2021) | 18,977,873 |
| Full UK Licences Held in Total (16th October 2021) | 40,935,384 |
Why switch to electric mopeds?
Cars are a significant expense for many families around the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, UK families spend around £115.20 each week on the purchase and operation of personal transportation. This amounts to £499.20 each month or £5,990.40 over the course of a year.
| Average weekly expenditure all households (£) | |||||
| Transport | 81.6 | ||||
| Purchase of vehicles | 26.3 | ||||
| 7.1.1 | Purchase of new cars and vans | 7.9 | |||
| 7.1.1.1 | Outright purchases | 3 | |||
| 7.1.1.2 | Loan/Hire Purchase of new car/van | 4.9 | |||
| 7.1.2 | Purchase of second-hand cars or vans | 17.2 | |||
| 7.1.2.1 | Outright purchases | 10.2 | |||
| 7.1.2.2 | Loan/Hire Purchase of second-hand car/van | 7 | |||
| 7.1.3 | Purchase of motorcycles | 1.2 | |||
| 7.1.3.1 | Outright purchases of new or second-hand motorcycles | 0.2 | |||
| 7.1.3.2 | Loan/Hire Purchase of new or second-hand motorcycles | .. | |||
| 7.1.3.3 | Purchase of bicycles and other vehicles | 0.9 | |||
| Operation of personal transport | 33.6 | ||||
| 7.2.1 | Spares and accessories | 2.4 | |||
| 7.2.1.1 | Car/van accessories and fittings | 0.2 | |||
| 7.2.1.2 | Car/van spare parts | 1.9 | |||
| 7.2.1.3 | Motorcycle accessories and spare parts | [0.10] | |||
| 7.2.1.4 | Bicycle accessories, repairs and other costs | 0.2 | |||
| 7.2.2 | Petrol, diesel and other motor oils | 22.3 | |||
| 7.2.2.1 | Petrol | 13.6 | |||
| 7.2.2.2 | Diesel oil | 8.6 | |||
| 7.2.2.3 | Other motor oils | 0.1 | |||
| 7.2.3 | Repairs and servicing | 6.2 | |||
| 7.2.3.1 | Car or van repairs, servicing and other work | 6.2 | |||
| 7.2.3.2 | Motorcycle repairs and servicing | 0.00~ | |||
| 7.2.4 | Other motoring costs | 2.8 | |||
| 7.2.4.1 | Motoring organisation subscription (e.g. AA and RAC) | 0.4 | |||
| 7.2.4.2 | Garage rent, other costs (excluding fines), car washing etc. | 0.7 | |||
| 7.2.4.3 | Parking fees, tolls, and permits (excluding motoring fines) | 1 | |||
| 7.2.4.4 | Driving lessons | 0.3 | |||
| 7.2.4.5 | Anti-freeze, battery water, cleaning materials | 0.2 | |||
Data from the Office for National Statistics
Fuel costs are constantly rising, and last year we saw the European petrol prices increase by 2-3%. Households in the UK spent on average £1,159.60 a year on fuel, which is a significant amount of the overall costs of vehicles. According to NimbleFins, UK cars tend to average 142 miles per week or 7,400 miles a year.
By comparison, the Thelmoco Ultra costs just £0.01p per mile to run, which is a huge saving for families. It would cost just £1.42 a week to cover the same amount of miles as traditional petrol and diesel cars, which is cheaper than a cup of coffee. This would save you £20.88 a week. Over the course of a year, to cover the average 7,400 miles covered by cars, it would cost just £74, saving you £1,085.60 a year just on fuel when compared to petrol and diesel cars.
New electric mopeds start at just £2,295, which is £3,695.40 less per year when compared to the average expenditure of UK families on personal transportation. It is easy to see why the electric vehicle industry is growing with savings like these.
Electric mopeds are perfect for urban and city use, with a low recharge time so you can be out on the road again quickly. It’s the smart choice for eco-conscious commuters, and we offer finance options to help you make the change. Why wait? Start saving money now.
