If you're ready to ditch the car for the sake of the environment, aren't keen on a motorbike or motor scooter and excessive peddling isn't yet your scene, consider a moped.
A moped buzzed by our house a couple of weeks ago, so I thought I'd take a bit of a look at this transport alternative.
Mopeds (short for Motor/Pedal I guess) are basically a motor assisted bicycle, usually powered by a gas (petrol) engine up to 49 cc's. They aren't speed machines, attaining speeds of only 25 - 30 miles per hour (40 - 50 km/hr), but as such often don't require registration, insurance or a license in many states and countries. In places where they do; the fees are generally far less than even a motorbike. In some places, mopeds can also be used on bicycle only paths. Mopeds usually also have pedals, allowing you to add some human power as you wish, further conserving fuel consumption.
In regards to fuel economy, many of the models I researched today boasted consumption of 200 miles per gallon (85 kilometers per litre)! That's pretty incredible!
On the down side; they still use fossil fuels and as they often have 2 stroke engines needing oil in the fuel mix, emissions can be an issue. A two stroke engine also is noisier than a 4 stroke; but I was pleasantly surprised by the noise levels of modern mopeds - somewhere around the 60 decibel level. To give you an idea of how loud that is, a lawnmower is around the 90 decibel mark and general conversation is around 50-60 decibels.
Mopeds tend not to be ultra-light; most I looked at were around the 100 pound (45kg) mark.
While probably not well suited to carting the weekly shopping, mopeds in the 50cc are able to carry a load of just under 300 pounds (135 kilos). Whether they do that well up a steep hill is another matter.
Mopeds can be purchased new for under USD$1000 and you can also buy kits for attaching to regular bicycles. A new development I came across is "The Wheel". Weighing in at just 12 pounds (5.5 kgs), it's basically just a wheel with the engine inside. You replace your existing front bike wheel for this fascinating contraption.
Aside from gas engine powered models, electric engines are also available for mopeds. They have somewhat limited range, aren't as fast and can be heavier; but they are viable alternative if you're only undertaking short range trips and you're concerned with emissions and noise.
