It’s a year now since I bought the Voltra Matrix E-Scooter from a company in Phnom Penh, foreign owned. As you may have seen in previous posts, the promised range-wise wasn’t close to reality. But in general, it’s a good city-scooter. In one year I clocked 3,000 km on this vehicle, and never really ran into any issues apart from the battery. It lasts now 60km with a full charge driving on Set 1 (36-40 km/h).
It’s seeming to me the performance of the Voltra Matrix is slightly going down: In the first months the first green bar disappeared after 20 km, now is after 18 km. Let’s see how the next year is going. What went down recently was the service in Siem Reap. They refused to do a 3000 km inspection (“no need”), what I would have paid for, of course. Also, after two punctures, they didn’t want to help me buy a new tire (“can have more”).
No software updates for the Voltra Matrix
The Voltra Matrix uses the same tires as a Honda Today. But I figured out it is not as easy to purchase as I was told when I bought it. The company isn’t strong in communications with customers, and I am still not sure how long they will last. I haven’t seen many models in Siem Reap, and from what I saw in Phnom Penh, most scooters were sold to companies, embassies and alike – I guess mainly for greenwashing reasons. Where electric cars update their software regularly, you won’t see that much in E-scooters.
The Voltra Matrix is “open design”, as the owner called it, what means it’s a Chinese off-the-shelve-model with a few modifications. They did not develop the software, and I still haven’t figured out who is developing the battery management system. Sources within Voltra told me the BMS at the first model was better, and the battery lasted longer.
New challenger is coming up: Pople
The market for electric scooters will grow, although it is now dominated by cheap Chinese low-speed vehicles. This will not change until Honda or Yamaha will come up with a proper model (Honda is promising one for a while now). So at least in south-east Asia we have to live with what we have. There is a new player in Cambodia on the market: Pople is renting out scooters and they have a huge charging station. The company behind it, with the obscure name Verywords, told me that they consider putting the white scooters on sale in 2023. I have yet to try them, but the look as good as the Voltra.
Money saved in a year with my E-Scooter
A Honda Scooby-i consumes 6 liters per 100km, average price is 1.5 USD per liter. So I saved about 270 USD for fuel. Add $ 40 for oil and maintenance I didn’t have to pay for. Charging costs are 12 Riel per kilometer, that would be 9 USD for 3000 km. Initial cost for the Voltra Matrix was 1400 USD. Considering that the battery may decline in the next year and I have to buy a new one ($500), than there is - apart from the lower price for the purchase compared to a $2500 Honda – not much of a saving. But I was told the battery would last up to five years. Let’s see.
