E-Tricycles: Cost to buy/run, reliability, spares, range (km) etc

simon43 · June 19

I've been riding petrol motorbikes since the age of 14. Now at 65 years old, and with a wonky bunion that is making it a little difficult to walk/jog as well as before, I am (sensibly IMHO) considering the purchase of an e-tricycle, since I assume my ability to walk/jog won't improve as a get older!

Additionally, when I start to receive my UK state pension, just 12 months from now, I will have a limited monthly budget (if I finally stop teaching science online). I could run a car, I could have a petrol motorbike, I could have an electric bicycle or I could have an e-tricycle (I enjoyed horse-riding many years ago but it's probably not a realistic option for trips to Big C...). Which works out as good value for money, and would enable me to travel around, carry shopping etc?

I value my independence! I do not want to rely on taxis or win riders etc. That's why I'm thinking about an e-tricycle. I'm in Pattaya for a few weeks and I've seen quite a few older men riding these trikes. They seem to go at a reasonable speed, have room for shopping etc etc. So where's the catch!?

I appreciate your thoughts and advice about buying an e-trike. Thanks

scubascuba3 · June 19

I prefer the look of the motorbikes with thai side car thing, the 3 wheelers look unstable, oh yes there was the guy who got run over a few weeks ago by railway road, maybe still in ICU

KannikaP · June 19

Will you be prepared to pay Road Tax and Insurance for your vehicle?

BritManToo · June 19

I just purchased a Trinx ebike conversion from Bangkok, 34000bht, 500w motor, 15ah battery. Running costs are 1bht for 25km with me not making much effort (range 50km) or 0.5bht for 25km if I pedal as normal (range 150km) with assist for hills. It allows me to keep up with my cycling pals, which I could no longer do after last year's hit and run.

simon43 · June 19

7 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Will you be prepared to pay Road Tax and Insurance for your vehicle?

If that's a legal requirement then of course!

simon43 · June 19

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I just purchased a Trinx ebike conversion from Bangkok, 34000bht, 500w motor, 15ah battery. Running costs are 1bht for 25km with me not making much effort (range 50km) or 0.5bht for 25km if I pedal as normal (range 150km) with assist for hills. It allows me to keep up with my cycling pals, which I could no longer do after last year's hit and run.

Sounds good! What about the various e-trikes advertised on Shopee and Lazada from China. They claim 1,000W 48v battery, perhaps 50km range between charges etc. Cost about 15,000 baht. Are they cr*p?

BTW, I'm not 'disabled' yet, but just planning ahead. I know that my wonky foot will get worse in the future, so I'm trying to cost out an e-trike, reliability etc etc.

@scubascuba3, Yes, I could buy a Thai 'salang',but well... it's not my style! I do have standards to keep up don't you know ol' chap 🙂

richard_smith237 · June 19

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I prefer the look of the motorbikes with thai side car thing, the 3 wheelers look unstable, oh yes there was the guy who got run over a few weeks ago by railway road, maybe still in ICU

That guy screamed through a cross roads in an area already known for accidents.

Right of way was heavily debatable... any car or motorcycle riding in the same manner would have been sideswiped/

Fault was heavily debated at the time - nevertheless, the reckless manner in which the man in on the trike rode was not in doubt.

In that thread, the legality of a 'trike' was also discussed - I think whole legality thing is a grey area (more on that in another comment).

BritManToo · June 19

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

Sounds good! What about the various e-trikes advertised on Shopee and Lazada from China. They claim 1,00W 48v battery, perhaps 50km range between charges etc. Cost about 15,000 baht. Are they cr*p?

Most of those have 12v (x4) lead acid batteries, which may not be included in the price. Some of my neighbours wives have them, but I don't think the range is far. Not sure I would want one of those.

richard_smith237 · June 19

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I just purchased a Trinx ebike conversion from Bangkok, 34000bht, 500w motor, 15ah battery. Running costs are 1bht for 25km with me not making much effort (range 50km) or 0.5bht for 25km if I pedal as normal (range 150km) with assist for hills. It allows me to keep up with my cycling pals, which I could no longer do after last year's hit and run.

Sounds good! What about the various e-trikes advertised on Shopee and Lazada from China. They claim 1,000W 48v battery, perhaps 50km range between charges etc. Cost about 15,000 baht. Are they cr*p?

BTW, I'm not 'disabled' yet, but just planning ahead. I know that my wonky foot will get worse in the future, so I'm trying to cost out an e-trike, reliability etc etc.

@scubascuba3, Yes, I could buy a Thai 'salang',but well... it's not my style! I do have standards to keep up don't you know ol' chap 🙂

IF I'm not mistaken (could well be) - I think the anything 500w and less is road legal.

Anything higher than 500w needs to be registered (with a license plate).

Additionally, anything considered a disability vehicle can ride on the road without being registered (but I think it still has to fall within the 500w limit).

A lot of those 'mobility trikes' are quite powerful and do perhaps need to be registered and taxed, which then means insured at least with the basic Por-ror-bor government cover.

I was looking at a scooter... Velocifero Mad - they are 2000w and surely not road legal... (but could be operated in that grey area on the sub-sois where no rules seem to ever exist).

simon43 · June 19

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

IF I'm not mistaken (could well be) - I think the anything 500w and less is road legal.

Anything higher than 500w needs to be registered (with a license plate).

Additionally, anything considered a disability vehicle can ride on the road without being registered (but I think it still has to fall within the 500w limit).

A lot of those 'mobility trikes' are quite powerful and do perhaps need to be registered and taxed, which then means insured at least with the basic Por-ror-bor government cover.

I was looking at a scooter... Velocifero Mad - they are 2000w and surely not road legal... (but could be operated in that grey area on the sub-sois where no rules seem to ever exist).

I would be living in rural locations (maybe Khanom, Koh Lanta etc, but with good roads, not muddy tracks). I have no problems to get a Por Ror Bor etc. I find the police in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar generally either ignore me or beat a hasty retreat when they see me shouting 'have you seen my parrot squark squark!!' - seems to scare them away, don't know why...!

richard_smith237 · June 19

22 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Will you be prepared to pay Road Tax and Insurance for your vehicle?

You're not one of those guys who tell foreigners that they need a work permit to cut their lawn and paint their house, no ?

richard_smith237 · June 19

Just now, simon43 said:

I would be living in rural locations (maybe Khanom, Koh Lanta etc, but with good roads, not muddy tracks). I have no problems to get a Por Ror Bor etc. I find the police in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar generally either ignore me or beat a hasty retreat when they see me shouting 'have you seen my parrot squark squark!!' - seems to scare them away, don't know why...!

Then the trike version of this could be the ticket !!

simon43 · June 19

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Then the trike version of this could be the ticket !!

Too basic! I need a trike that can carry lots of shopping bags and has a squishy seat, not a knife that disappears up your jacksie.

Rural roads are exactly the same as city roads >> sealed roads, I'm not going off-road.

richard_smith237 · June 19

13 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Too basic! I need a trike that can carry lots of shopping bags and has a squishy seat, not a knife that disappears up your jacksie.

Rural roads are exactly the same as city roads >> sealed roads, I'm not going off-road.

Then one of these is the bo!!ox...

But, you're probably more likely to be looking at something such as this....

stoner · June 19

44 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Sounds good! What about the various e-trikes advertised on Shopee and Lazada from China. They claim 1,000W 48v battery, perhaps 50km range between charges etc. Cost about 15,000 baht. Are they cr*p?

double the power for half the price.... you do the math. you get what you pay for.

Fab5BKK · June 19

This kind of stuff was available in Thailand... May be you could find one second hand?

Yamaha Tricity 155

simon43 · June 19

13 minutes ago, stoner said:

double the power for half the price.... you do the math. you get what you pay for.

Well, some Chinese products are cr*p and some are very good and great value-for-money. I need to ask some of the old guys in Pattaya who ride disabled e-trikes for their opinion. (They might not actually be disabled, maybe just lazy lard-buckets...)

SAFETY FIRST · June 19

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

They seem to go at a reasonable speed

Not an ebike.

This one is a V8, it will get you from A to B quicker.

You'll look cool cruising down soi 6 😎

scubascuba3 · June 19

Why not something like this? cheap, common, fine in the sticks, plenty of storage

Roo Island · June 19

Be careful with the cheap Chinese bikes. They break down a lot and the batteries are prone to fires. Get from a local dealer that can repair it if something goes wrong

stoner · June 19

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Well, some Chinese products are cr*p and some are very good and great value-for-money. I need to ask some of the old guys in Pattaya who ride disabled e-trikes for their opinion. (They might not actually be disabled, maybe just lazy lard-buckets...)

true. these are batteries though so i imagine the higher cost comes with some value vs the lower one. even with the specs they give.

novacova · June 19

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I prefer the look of the motorbikes with thai side car thing

Rod(t)salang, motorbike with the side car thing

KhunLA · June 19

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

Sounds good! What about the various e-trikes advertised on Shopee and Lazada from China. They claim 1,000W 48v battery, perhaps 50km range between charges etc. Cost about 15,000 baht. Are they cr*p?

BTW, I'm not 'disabled' yet, but just planning ahead. I know that my wonky foot will get worse in the future, so I'm trying to cost out an e-trike, reliability etc etc.

@scubascuba3, Yes, I could buy a Thai 'salang',but well... it's not my style! I do have standards to keep up don't you know ol' chap 🙂

If only 15k, then they probably don't have lithium batteries. You state you could have petrol MB, why not a E-MB. DECO has a nice line up, legally registered. and could even add a salang to 2000w version, for added range and versatility. 1000w have limited range, although if not needing more :coffee1:

Practical usable range, knock 25% off advertised range, to be on the safe side. Getting govt incentives (18k baht off) at the moment.

We have the SUS model, and very happy with it. Owning 3 yrs come this October, I think. DECO also offer trikes, and pricier than what you stated, but lithium batteries, and guessing longer warranty.

richard_smith237 · June 19

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Why not something like this? cheap, common, fine in the sticks, plenty of storage

Seems like the solution - but he's already dealt with that point...

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

@scubascuba3, Yes, I could buy a Thai 'salang',but well... it's not my style! I do have standards to keep up don't you know ol' chap 🙂

richard_smith237 · June 19

3 hours ago, Fab5BKK said:

This kind of stuff was available in Thailand... May be you could find one second hand?

Yamaha Tricity 155

Essentially the same as a regular motorcycle with more front end grip and breaking... thats about it - it'll tip over just like any other motorcycle will.

I'm not sure its the 'stability' the Op wants he seems to be looking more at this sort of thing...

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

I'm in Pattaya for a few weeks and I've seen quite a few older men riding these trikes. They seem to go at a reasonable speed, have room for shopping etc etc. So where's the catch!?

Where's the catch.. (looks and style is about all - but it has the convenience if you can get past that).

[I think these are the one the Op has been seeing in Thailand]

https://www.loboebike.com/high-performance-electric-tricycle-cargo-electric-bike-3-wheels-tricycles-product/

Is this the sort of thing you mean Simon ?

KhunLA · June 19

If 'Trke', I'd go for this or this

bunnydrops · June 19

Out where I live in Thailand the police don't bother you, no matter what you use. But I thought that legally if it had a motor, it had to be licensed unless it was pedal assist. I am in the States at the moment and the variety of pedal-assist bikes is mind-blowing and most come from China.

https://www.amazon.com/Viribus-Electric-Tricycle-Battery-Bicycle/dp/B0C2GZ1ZJX?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=AYIABTGNRAN3E&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Adult+Electric+Bicycles&i=sports-and-fitness&rh=n%3A3405141%2Cp_36%3A17784044011&page=3&c=ts&qid=1718814825&rnid=17784038011&ts_id=3405141&ref=sr_pg_3

scubascuba3 · June 19

9 hours ago, simon43 said:

@scubascuba3, Yes, I could buy a Thai 'salang',but well... it's not my style! I do have standards to keep up don't you know ol' chap 🙂

The thing about the 3 wheelers is they look like disability vehicles

SAFETY FIRST · June 19

10 hours ago, simon43 said:

So where's the catch!?

They're embarrassing.

I see lots of elderly foreigners, geriatrics riding these hideous vehicles around Pattaya, at speed, not obeying traffic laws etc.

They are also dangerous, you sit too low, if you are in your pickup you can't see them, some have a small flag.

The only Thai's that use them are frail, elderly women.

I'd never be caught dead on one.

scubascuba3 · June 19

1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

They're embarrassing.

I see lots of elderly foreigners, geriatrics riding these hideous vehicles around Pattaya, at speed, not obeying traffic laws etc.

They are also dangerous, you sit too low, if you are in your pickup you can't see them, some have a small flag.

The only Thai's that use them are frail, elderly women.

I'd never be caught dead on one.

i agree, too dangerous, too slow, don't fit in with the traffic, i can easily imagine a thai on a phone easy hitting one

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