I don’t expect many motorcyclists to become enthused about the recently unveiled Axle electric “motorcycle,” so this one is for the scooter aficionado. Axle, a Japanese manufacturer, created the EV-7 which uses its Sumo (magnetic) motor. The motor is a hybrid of a permanent magnet and electromagnet. They claim it produces more power and torque than traditional electric motors.

It is said to have a range of 112 miles per charge with recharging taking six hours. The electricity cost (in Japan) for a full charge is 68 cents. This compares to $4.70 for 4.5 liters (1.9 gallons) of fuel required by a 250cc motorcycle to travel the same distance.

It looks comfortable and I like the styling. It’s tailor made for urban markets in which small bikes and scooters are common so I expect it will be a good seller in Japan, Asian and perhaps some European markets if the price is right. I don’t expect to be seeing it in the US, though maybe they’ll surprise me. No word on the expected MSRP.