i need a new bike, just a little local (rawai/chalong) runaround, and was thinking electric. are there any electric bikes with a reasonable top speed and a range of about 30-50km? and where to buy?

No.....

I think that about sums it up. No range, no speed, bad batteries that need replacement often for the price of the original bike and a bit.

Green my a**

I bought an electric 4 wheeler bike for Br 60,000. It was fun at first. But after 18 months the batteries had to be replaced. Bt 12,000. Next another part Bt4000 and so on. Then the charger went wrong. More money. I had it converted to petrol and it has worked like a dream.

I understood that the point of electric bike is that those will ease the pedaling, not eliminate it. Also electric bikes can store breaking energy and reuse it later on.

There is bikes which can do 160km http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bicycle-batteries-go-100-miles/16322/, most models likely less than this. I have no idea why these articles use Amp hour for the energy storage unit as it describes very little without voltage. Watt hour would be better ?

http://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/info/faqs/

No.....

What is No ?

Plenty of electric bike here, price range from 19,000 - 80,000... see lots about and appears people of all ages buy them, some are fast, friend has one it is big and very fast, cost about 3 baht to charge, so 60 - 70 km for 3 baht is also cheap to run.

Notice the Police have electric bike ..

As for 18 months the batteries had to be replaced, on my new car in 2004 I had to replace the battery every 14 months..

Try Google...... or, couple of websites I have saved

http://www.kozawa-eb...om/product.html

http://www.welovesho...p?shopid=126632

Nice

http://www.welovesho...3&shopid=174316

http://www.welovesho...4&shopid=174316

are there any shops that sell these things in phuket?

by the way, i'm looking for an electric scooter, not a bicycle, i doubt the wife is into pedaling

Try and get yourself a Honda Oree or a ZEVS

are there any shops that sell these things in phuket?

by the way, i'm looking for an electric scooter, not a bicycle, i doubt the wife is into pedaling

We bought a Chinese model years ago in Phuket Town. It went about 35K downhill and I think it cost around 18K as it was the smaller version. Currently the bike needs a new battery and new tyres!

We bought a Chinese model years ago in Phuket Town. It went about 35K downhill and I think it cost around 18K as it was the smaller version. Currently the bike needs a new battery and new tyres!

and a way to get back up the hill?

We bought a Chinese model years ago in Phuket Town. It went about 35K downhill and I think it cost around 18K as it was the smaller version. Currently the bike needs a new battery and new tyres!

and a way to get back up the hill?

Did you ever watch the Flintstones?

It went ok up small inclines, but I wouldn't think it would make it up the Patong hill without some Flintstones action.