British e-scooter manufacturer Swifty Scooters has launched the UK’s first road-legal e-scooter marking a pivotal moment in British transportation history.
The GO GT500 has a range of 25 miles, a top speed of 24 mph, and a 500 watt motor that can be fast-charged in a few hours.
It is currently illegal to ride private e-scooters on UK public roads so how did Swifty do it?
The vehicle is formally classified as a Stand-On Moped by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which means it’s tied to the same safety and regulatory standards as a vehicle in the L1e category.
“There’s no stipulation of a moped needing to have a seated position in the DVSA’s regulations,” Co-Founder Jason Iftakhar told Zag Daily in an exclusive interview.
“We are confident that this milestone of innovation will influence the future of sustainable transportation, both in the UK and beyond.
“We’ve now had two vehicles that have been tested and approved, both registered and both with number plates.”
Co-founder duo Jason and Camilla have been developing the GO GT500 for over a year, and the vehicle makes for the second addition to the Swifty GO range. The launch comes shortly after the first model – the GO G500 e-scooter – scooped the Best Start-Up 2023 award at Micromobility Industries Summit in San Francisco for its pioneering battery.
Swifty’s answer to battery fires
Swifty’s G500 and newest GT500 are powered by an innovative Lithium FerroPhosphate (LFP) battery. The 15Ah battery excludes rare earth metals such as nickel and cobalt, and uses the same chemistry incorporated by Tesla to protect against thermal runaway.
“It’s obviously very evident that people are worried about battery fires,” Jason said. “If we’re going to convince people to swap car journeys for micromobility, we need to serve on this.
“The purpose of the Swifty GO series is to set a new standard for the industry and lead the way in demonstrating what’s possible.”
To maximise rider safety, Swifty has incorporated indicators into the GT 500 and integrated all of the vehicle’s controls into the handlebar.
“One of the common safety issues with regular e-scooters is that it’s sometimes difficult to hand-signal like you would on a bike,” Camilla explains.
The road from here
Swifty currently sells fleets of vehicles to private companies such as Meta and is looking to engage in more B2B partnerships with the GO GT500, which runs at a cost of £0.006p per mile.
“There are a lot of e-bikes out there being used for last-mile or food delivery that are technically being ridden in an illegal way. If they’re overpowered or they’ve got battery packs which aren’t safe, it’s a problem,” said Jason.
“This vehicle is safe, and it’s legal.”
The GO GT500 is available to pre-order now from £3,499. Customers require a CBT or motorcycle licence, insurance and a motorcycle helmet to ride the vehicle.
“Customers need to treat this like a normal vehicle that requires an insurance premium. You’ll get a number plate, a V5C log book and the vehicle has a VIN number.”
The Swifty GO project received technical support from Voltse Mobility Ltd, Eavi micromobility insurance, and grant funding from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), via the Advanced Propulsion Centre, supported by Innovate UK and facilitated by the Niche Vehicle Network.
“The legal private e-scooter is here. You can buy it and it’s from Swifty.”
