The UK’s biggest noise in electric scooters will be running its first test ride event at day one of Bike Stop’s 40th anniversary celebrations, on 31st July.
With four decades in business, the Stevenage-based retail clothing and accessory store has always been a biker’s destination with its beautiful grade II listed building in Old Town and popular Café. 31st July kicks off a month of celebrations with special events and special guests joining to mark the anniversary in style.
Silence will be in good company at the event, debuting alongside trials bike legend Dougie Lampkin, who will be performing live riding through the store’s seven showrooms over two floors. Belstaff will also have its full 2021 motorcycle collection available to browse and buy.
Martin Brown, Bike Stop Managing Director commented: “We’ve worked tirelessly through the last 18 months of COVID, with the doors closed for much of it, enhancing the website with even more brands to make sure Bike Stop didn’t just survive but thrived. I’m so happy to have the doors fully open again and to be able to host a series of events to celebrate this significant achievement. To have Silence UK, Dougie Lampkin and Belstaff at our first open-house event will really kick it all off.”
Silence UK launched in April this year with a flagship store and headquarters in Solihull, West Midlands. Its high-tech, purpose-built, all-electric bikes and scooters are already a hit across Europe and have launched in the UK to meet a rising demand for electrified two-wheel travel, to cut costs and emissions.
Kevin Duck, Silence UK founding partner said: “Bike Stop is perfect for our first UK test ride event. Many of our customers are already bike owners and enthusiasts, looking for a low-cost option for the daily commute. I guarantee that anyone who takes a test ride will have a smile on their face. Bring along your bike licence or proof of your CBT and see for yourself!”
The shop and Café open at 9am and events kick off at 10am at Bike Stop’s store, 104 High Street, Stevenage, SD1 3DW.
A family of four Silence models are now available in the UK, priced from £2,695 OTR, including a comprehensive warranty package.For more information on Silence UK see www.silenceuk.com. To check out Bike Stop go to www.bikestop.co.uk.
Going Electric Is Easier Than Ever – Silence UK Launches Finance Partnership With Motonovo
It’s never been easier and more cost-effective to go electric, as the UK’s newest electric motorcycle brand, Silence, is now offering finance packages with specialists, MotoNovo.
MotoNovo is providing an introductory rate of 8.9% APR Representative on HP agreements across a 36 or 48-month period, with no minimum deposit required. The offer is available to all customers, across the full Silence electric range.
MotoNovo can also create personal packages around individual customers’ needs and Silence has further illustrative examples on its website.
Mike Rose, founding partner at Silence UK commented: “Congestion, air quality, noise pollution are all problems that are helped significantly by going electric and that is why we brought Silence to the UK. We want to make it simple for as many people as possible to get on board and now customers can now access affordable finance, tailored to their credit status.”
It’s not just the environment: a shift to hybrid home/office working, reluctance to travel on public transport, and an increasing focus on sustainability is driving a shift towards electric two-wheelers. This is reflected in the latest market registration figures, which show close to 300% growth in the first four months of 2021, for the electrified moped and scooter segments, and a massive 550% growth in April.
Karl Werner, Deputy CEO at MotoNovo Finance said: “The way we commute is changing: the Covid-19 pandemic has changed many people’s routines at the same time as the emergence of Ultra Low Emissions Zones and Clean Air Zones in major cities. We can see many more people looking to electric two-wheel travel in the months ahead and the opportunity to partner with an established brand like Silence is very exciting.”
Already Europe’s largest specialist EV motorcycle manufacturer, Silence launched in the UK in January, bringing a family of four urban-focused electric mopeds and scooters to British customers.
Offering the best of both worlds, Silence’s patented, ‘click and go’ batteries, app-connected technology and striking design appeal to the heart, while running costs of just one penny per mile take up to 80% less from the wallet.
The Silence family has a model for every need, all featuring the same smart battery technology:
The entry-level, 2kWh Silence S02 LS (£2,695 OTR) sits in the popular 50cc band, for younger riders, the more budget conscious, and for more occasional use. It has a top speed of 30 mph and a WMTC range of 35 miles.
The 5.6kWh Silence S02 LS Long Range (£3,595 OTR) supports last-mile multi-drop fleets, giving an extended WMTC range of up to 91 miles and a top speed limited to 30mph.
The Silence S02 (£4,695 OTR) has the same 5.6kWh battery but a larger 7kW motor (9kW peak), making it the ideal tool for professional courier services and urban business use. Top speed is limited to 62 mph. WMTC range is 80 miles.
The flagship SilenceS01 (£4,995 OTR) and is the commuters’ choice, with a 5.6kWh battery, 7kW motor (9kW peak), top speed limited to 62 mph and WMTC range of 80 miles. It’s already proving hugely popular with eco and style-conscious travellers across Europe.
The West Midlands took another leadership step in the electric vehicle revolution today – as leading Spanish electric vehicle brand, Silence, opened its ‘urban ecomobility’ headquarters, training centre and first UK retail store in Solihull.
The targeted investment in the region is no accident: it is fast becoming a hub for UK electrification and green travel initiatives.
As well as being a centre for electric vehicle development and production, the West Midlands will also pioneer a UK Clean Air Zone this summer, when Birmingham launches its charging scheme aimed at reducing emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles in the city centre.
John Edwards, one of founding partners of Silence UK, commented: “Solihull makes the perfect location for investment, in the first phase of our launch and establishment of our UK headquarters. Not only is the West Midlands already a hub for electric vehicle businesses and research, but its leaders are focused on ecomobility and infrastructure.”
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “We’re delighted that Silence have chosen to base their UK headquarters here in Solihull. Their investment reflects the confidence in the region as we position ourselves to be at the forefront of low-carbon future mobility.
“Transport currently accounts for 39% of Co2 emissions across the borough. Tackling this area is going to be key to unlocking our low carbon future and achieving our net zero carbon aspirations for the region by 2041.”
The regenerated site on Haslucks Green Road includes Silence’s first UK flagship retail store and service centre, covering over 700 square metres. It serves both retail and business customers, with the full UK range of Silence ‘e-moto’ all-electric motorcycles and scooters available for test rides.
Dan Storer, Chief Investment Officer at the West Midlands Growth Company – the region’s official investment promotion agency – added: “Silence joins the West Midlands’ leading automotive cluster at a strategic moment in its evolution. Building on a robust legacy of spearheading transport innovations, our region has a rigorous proposition to supercharge the future mobility ambitions of industry and Government.
“The decision for Silence to base its UK headquarters in Solihull is affirmation of the region’s potential to accelerate innovation in the sector and drive interest from foreign companies with aspirations to be part of a world-class automotive ecosystem.”
The timing of Silence’s UK debut is also no coincidence.
Big changes are taking place nationally in electrified two-wheel travel, which is growing in popularity, as an easy and cost-effective way to cut costs and emissions. The electric 50cc and 125cc market grew +50% in 2020 and is up almost 300% in the first four months of 2021, growing by over 550% in April alone.
These changes are being driven across both the business and consumer sectors.
Last mile delivery and food delivery services have soared during the pandemic resulting in a boom in sales of light weight, smaller and sustainable modes of transport, particularly in urban areas.
COVID has also had a significant impact on the individual commuter too with people turning to independent, private, and green transportation. The experience of improved air quality and quieter streets during the pandemic has heightened awareness of the need to choose zero emission mobility to make cities healthier and more liveable.
And new research shows the impact of choosing two wheels over four: travelling by micromobility instead of a car just once a day reduces an average citizen’s carbon emissions from transport by 67%, according to the University of Oxford1.
Lightweight two-wheelers are ideal for smart all-electric power, giving low maintenance, quick and convenient charging, and avoiding urban emissions charges. The 100% electric Silence ‘e-motos’ are equivalent to 50cc and 125cc mopeds and scooters, travelling up to 91 miles on a single charge while eliminating emissions, noise and vibrations and reducing running costs to around one pence per mile – a massive 80% less than conventional alternatives.
John Edwards explained: “The combined issues of urban air quality, congestion and cost are accelerating demand for smaller, affordable electric vehicles. Silence meets that demand head-on, with the latest in EV design and technology, backed by a European manufacturer with over a decade of market-leading knowledge. We are bringing something new and needed to the market. This is the right idea, at the right time – and the West Midlands is the right place to start.”
Edwards went on to state: “We look forward to helping larger West Midlands businesses transform their fleet operations as well as supporting local independent operators such as restaurants and delivery riders to go electric.”
The Silence DNA of reliable, zero-emission battery power, sharp Barcelona style and smart tech has already captured over 66% of the Spanish and 30% of the European electric scooter market, attracting over 21,000 customers across 25 countries.
Silence’s flagship retail store in Solihull will be one of several flagship stores opening across the UK, with the next sites planned for London and Manchester. A partnership model will also allow entrepreneurial businesses who want to join the EV revolution to retail Silence
