Super Soco CPx electric scooter review (2020)

How much range do you really need from an electrically powered scooter? We rode the Super Soco CPx to find out if it’s all you need in the city. Socially distanced commuting or everyday runabout, we put the sub-£3600 machine to the test.

2020 Super Soco CPx Price

As with all zero emissions motorcycles that can travel at least 31 miles (50Km) purely on electric power the CPx is eligible for the UK Govt’s Low Emission Vehicle Grant which pays 20% of the list up to a maximum of £1500. That means a CPx with a single battery comes in at £3599 although the one we tested had the double battery option and a price tag of £4699. Add £55 for the DVLA registration fee. It comes in three colourways, Black, Grey and Silver.

Motor, power and torque

Powered by two 60v/45Ah batteries, Super Soco’s own brand motor is rated at 4kW which equates to about 5.3bhp. The two batteries don’t double the power, they add to the range by doubling capacity not the overall power. Torque is rated on the Super Soco website at 171 Nm but regardless of how they’ve come up with that figure it doesn’t feel like it. The motor is placed in the single sided swingarm in a neat design which cuts down on the need for a drive belt and has the added bonus of enabling really easy rear wheel changes. What do all the figures equate to in the real world? I saw 58mph on the dash with a strong tailwind, the return trip up the same dual carriageway saw 48mph into the now strong headwind. A calmer day saw a consistent 53mph, a CB500X riding behind me was showing the same speed on its dash for some sort of calibration, but the launch from the lights isn’t that great. The three riding modes, which only restrict top speed and not the available power are a great idea. Level 1 limits top speed to 28mph, level 2 tops out at 40 and 3 is for speeds above that. The controller could do with a little refinement as at 28mph in power mode 1 it delivers the power smoothly but if power mode 2 or 3 is selected and still maintaining 28-30mph I could feel a pulsing as the controller was too reactive when dealing with even the slightest throttle change. It wasn’t dangerous and the speed didn’t rise, it was just annoying and cured by simply selecting power mode 1 again where you could effectively hold the throttle at full.

Above available in three colours

Super Soco CPx Economy

A claimed range of 80 miles from the double battery option is all well and good but in the real world can it really do that? My real world, living outside of the city, means the route I took the CPx on to see what the range really is comprised of 10 miles on a national speed limit dual carriageway another 14 miles on 40 and 50mph roads and the rest on either city streets with a 30 and 20mph limit. I included a couple of miles with a pillion and managed to get 75 miles out of the battery. In truth, the performance dropped steadily off after 60 miles to very little at 75 miles but up until those 60 miles had passed I was more than capable of keeping up with the city centre and the outer suburb traffic I encountered.

Handling, suspension, chassis and weight

Non-adjustable 31mm forks up front and a mono-shock at the rear mean that the ride is firm. An inability to deal with bumps points to a lack of compression but I was able to hold a line through fairly tight smooth corners at 30mph. A steel chassis holds it all together meaning the scooter weighs in at 108kg, the batteries come in a 18kg each so you’re looking at either 126kg or 144kg all-in, depending on which battery set up you opt for. That weight combined with my 100kg weight might go a little way to explain the slight sluggishness off the line. Once on the move though it’s great around the city, manoeuvring around the city streets and performing tight U-turns was easy, the battery weight is all low down in the centre of the scooter and it didn’t feel like 144kg. The plus side that comes with a bit of weight was that out on exposed dual carriageways it felt steady and sturdy at 50mph.

Super Soco CPx Brakes

The linked brakes comprising front 240mm disc and a rear 180mm are pretty effective, pulling me up from 20mph, the ever-spreading inner city speed limit, within 4.4 metres. To  put it in perspective, that’s the length of an A Class Mercedes. The rear brake was also able to haul me to a stop despite holding the throttle wide open, handy if a learner rider panics.

Comfort over distance and touring

Riding around the city, the seat felt comfy all day although even with a height of 760 mm it’s fairly wide so the reach to the ground is further than you might think and the foot spaces struggled a bit with my size 10’s which couldn’t quite sit flat in the space available, at least not in the natural position I wanted to sit at. That said though the screen and fairing were really effective and when riding in pouring rain I could visibly see that my legs, chest and even my arms were being well protected from the elements. The rear seat was big enough for an adult and it comes fitted with a rack at the rear.

Rider aids and extra equipment / accessories

Imagine being parked nose into a motorcycle bay which was empty when you left and full when you got back, leaving hardly any space to push your scooter out.  To combat any scooter versus tight spaces situations you might come across the CPx comes with a reverse gear. I’ll admit I thought it might be a bit gimmicky but after a couple of days of reversing the CPx out of my garage and three point turning it using the reverse mode I found it really handy. Using the button limits the speed to around 3mph in either reverse or forward so the CPx isn’t likely to get away from you.

There’s a USB charger along with a small storage pocket and some but not much storage space under the seat. You’ll get a disc lock in there but not much else however there is an alarm fitted which triggers if you try and move the bike whilst it’s locked. It’s not super loud but it’s there.  The LCD dash, which is automatically back lit when the natural light fades, gives the time, speed, battery life, chosen power mode and a graphic to show you how many amps you’re using at the current throttle position, a bit like a rev counter.

Super Soco CPx Charging Time

There isn’t a fast charging option on the CPx, it’s charged up by a 13amp plug into a household system. Charge time are quoted at 3-4 hrs but double that if you have the two-battery option. In reality, it just means charging at home overnight and with the easily removable batteries you can take them into your home and charge there. One benefit is the obvious security advantage, you’ve effectively removed the means of propulsion. You don’t have to touch public charging points or fuel pumps either in these pandemic times.

Super Soco CPx verdict

Times are changing, especially for inner city travel where zero emissions are becoming paramount. The conversation around electrically powered two wheelers too often revolves around charging infrastructure and range but with a usable range of 60 miles in a city centre, the CPx poses a different question. Do we really need much more range than it can already deliver?

*NB: during the current lockdown (running until 2nd December 2020), all UK customers are eligible for a 10% discount across the whole Super Soco range.

Three things I loved about the 2020 Super Soco CPx

• Real world 60-mile range
• Weather protection
• That reverse mode

Three things that I didn’t…

• Slight pulsing when trying to maintain a steady speed in higher riding modes
• Firm ride
• Not that much storage space under the seat

2020 Super Soco CPx spec

What is MCIA Secured?

MCIA Secured gives bike buyers the chance to see just how much work a manufacturer has put into making their new investment as resistant to theft as possible.

As we all know, the more security you use, the less chance there is of your bike being stolen. In fact, based on research by Bennetts, using a disc lock makes your machine three times less likely to be stolen, while heavy duty kit can make it less likely to be stolen than a car. For reviews of the best security products, click here.

MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars, based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:

• A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard
• An ignition immobiliser system
• A vehicle marking system
• An alarm system
• A vehicle tracking system with subscription

The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has, and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.

Looking for bike insurance? Get a quote for this motorcycle with Bennetts motorbike insurance